Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Daisuke Sugawara
Summary: In the past decade, significant progress has been made in tsunami numerical modeling, including improvements in propagation and inundation modeling, multi-physics simulations, and real-time forecasting. While there have been advances, further exploration is still needed to enhance accuracy and capability, along with improved understanding of model limitations and uncertainties.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Piero Bellanova, Mike Frenken, Yuichi Nishimura, Jan Schwarzbauer, Klaus Reicherter
Summary: The 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami caused massive damage along the northern Japanese Aomori coast, with the coastal control area being inundated up to 550 m inland. A previously undocumented woody-organic tsunami deposit was discovered, improving understanding of the documented part of the tsunami inundation and reducing underestimation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shohei Iwai, Kazuhisa Goto
Summary: This study collected the first comprehensive dataset for the Sanriku coast of Japan, revealing that the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami moved approximately 1500 tons of boulders and concrete blocks with a flow depth of around 28 meters. It was also found that most boulders that remained unmoved were influenced more by local settings rather than their heavy weights. The threshold for moved/unmoved boulders was estimated against the flow depth, indicating that flow depths of over 20 meters are needed to move boulders weighing over 1000 tons.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Geology
Yasutaka Iijima, Kazuhisa Goto, Daisuke Sugawara, Tomoya Abe
Summary: This study focuses on the relationship between artificial structures, sedimentary structures, and hydrodynamics of the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami. Field observations showed that coastal dikes and roadways significantly influenced the source, thickness, and sedimentary structures of the tsunami deposits, providing insight into the depositional processes.
SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hidetoshi Masuda, Daisuke Sugawara, Tomoya Abe, Kazuhisa Goto
Summary: A quantitative understanding of paleotsunamis is an important issue in tsunami sedimentology. Numerical models are used to reconstruct paleotsunami events based on onshore tsunami deposits. This study examines the potential and limitations of deposit-based tsunami source estimation using the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami deposit data in Japan. The results show that high-quality datasets of tsunami deposits can improve the accuracy of paleotsunami source estimation.
PROGRESS IN EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Satoshi Kusumoto, Kentaro Imai, Takane Hori, Daisuke Sugawara, Kenji Satake
Summary: This study investigates the possibility of estimating the tsunami source model of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake through a comparison of numerical simulations, measured trace heights, and sediment thickness of tsunami deposits. The results show that by combining trace heights, sediment thickness, and numerical simulations, it is possible to estimate historical earthquakes and tsunamis.
PROGRESS IN EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geology
Ken Ikehara, Kazuko Usami, Tomohisa Irino, Akiko Omura, Robert G. Jenkins, Juichiro Ashi
Summary: Deep-sea turbidite deposits are valuable tools for submarine paleoseismology. By analyzing the event deposits from the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake and tsunami, researchers found that the deposits originated from multiple sources, indicating widespread seafloor disturbances. Different types of event deposits reflect varying sediment transport pathways, with limited long-distance transport observed despite the wide spatial distribution.
SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ivana Bosnic, Pedro J. M. Costa, Francisco Dourado, SeanPaul La Selle, Guy Gelfenbaum
Summary: The 1755 Lisbon earthquake triggered a historical tsunami, and efforts to understand this event through inverse and forward modeling have provided insights into tsunami characteristics. The study demonstrated significant variation in tsunami onshore velocities and highlighted the potential of numerical modeling to improve understanding of such historical events.
Article
Geography, Physical
Haruki Imura, Kazuhisa Goto, Kenta Minamidate, Naoto Koiwa
Summary: This study investigated the topographic changes caused by the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami and other natural and artificial activities at the Osuka coast in Aomori prefecture, Japan. The findings showed that the tsunami generated significant topographic changes, which were preserved underground even after 10 years. However, the dynamic movement of the dunes was caused by deforestation rather than the tsunami effects. This highlights the importance of considering both natural and artificial factors in coastal geomorphology.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Babak Tehranirad, James T. Kirby, Fengyan Shi
Summary: The model developed in this study uses Boussinesq and sediment concentration models to describe tsunami-induced morphology change, considering spatial variability in bottom friction coefficients and the presence of non-erodible beds or limited sediment depths. The model's accuracy is verified using laboratory data and field observations, and is then applied to assess the impact of tsunami inundation on an undeveloped barrier island.
PURE AND APPLIED GEOPHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
G. Shiravani, D. Oberrecht, L. Roscher, S. Kernchen, M. Halbach, M. Gerriets, B. M. Scholz-Bottcher, T. H. Badewien, A. Wurpts
Summary: Microplastic (MP) pollution poses a significant challenge to both human life and the natural system. The irresponsible handling of plastics in daily life has led to a rapid contamination of air, water, and soil with MP. This study focuses on the modeling of MP transport and interaction with fine sediment in estuarine turbidity zones (ETZ), proposing a new approach to improve the formulation of MP settling velocity in these conditions. The model results indicate higher concentrations of MP in ETZ, both in the water column and the bed sediment, which is supported by measurements. Additionally, the model suggests that smaller MP particles are more likely to escape the ETZ and move towards the open sea.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ken Ikehara, Tomohisa Irino, Yoshiki Saito
Summary: The study compared surface sediments before and after the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami on the Sendai shelf and found that both sandy and muddy sediments were significantly reworked by the tsunami. Part of the resuspended mud moved offshore to the slope area as turbidity currents.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Bjorn R. Robke, Tim Leijnse, Gundula Winter, Maarten van Ormondt, Joana van Nieuwkoop, Reimer de Graaff
Summary: This study demonstrates the successful application of D-FLOW Flexible Mesh (FM) and SFINCS models, along with the Delft Dashboard Tsunami Toolbox, in numerically simulating the 2011 Tohoku tsunami in Japan. The models accurately reproduced the tsunami propagation and inundation, providing effective options for future tsunami simulation research.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Kazuhisa Goto, Takashi Ishizawa, Yuichi Ebina, Fumihiko Imamura, Shosuke Sato, Keiko Udo
Summary: The 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake and tsunami had devastating effects on coastal environments, but many of these impacts have since naturally or artificially recovered. Despite efforts by the government to prepare for future events, there is still uncertainty in forecasting tsunamis and raising public awareness. The challenges of predicting low-frequency tsunami events and fostering a social consensus for preparedness remain unresolved since the 2011 event.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Mike Frenken, Piero Bellanova, Yuichi Nishimura, Klaus Reicherter, Jan Schwarzbauer
Summary: The 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami left a characteristic geochemical signature in the sediments of the Misawa harbor on the Aomori coastline, with specific compounds illustrating different emission sources and distribution during the tsunami. Petrogenic-derived markers provide information about tsunami-related destruction, sewage-derived compounds were widely distributed from a diffuse source, and old burden markers signal erosion and rearrangement of contaminants prior to the tsunami.