Analysis and Verification of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami at Nuclear Power Plant Sites

Abstract

The tsunami caused by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake resulted in a severe accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP). In light of analysis of the generation mechanisms of the earthquake and tsunami, a tsunami source model is inferred and further verified by the seismic source model inferred from ground motions.Distribution of large slip in the area along the Japan trench is a common finding obtained from both models.Through simulation analysis of the observed tsunami at the NPP sites, it becomes clear that the large slip in the shallow area along the Japan Trench, the time difference of rupture propagation, and the time delay of tsunami propagation are the main factors that significantly affect the tsunami heights.