Remote triggered seismicity caused by the 2011, M9.0 Tohoku-Oki, Japan earthquake

Abstract

Seismic waves from large earthquakes have been shown to trigger seismicity large distances from a mainshock, and this is termed remotely or dynamically triggered seismicity. We performed a global search for seismicity potentially triggered by the seismic waves from the 2011, M9.0, Tohoku-Oki, Japan Earthquake. Using seismograms from global seismic networks and an event catalog, we search for earthquakes and tremors instantaneously triggered during the passing of the seismic waves, as well as for statistically significant changes in local and global seismic rates after the passing of the waves. For earthquakes, we find potential cases of instantaneous triggering in the United States, Russia, China, Ecuador and Mexico, while for tremors we find evidence for triggering in Taiwan, Armenia, Cuba and the United States. In addition, we observed a potential case of delayed triggering of larger magnitude earthquakes (including a M5.2) in Baja California, Mexico. © Copyright 2012 by the American Geophysical Union.