• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.143-151
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• 2012

The tsunami disasters and tectonic movements derived from mega-earthquake(M 9.0) which occured in the sea floor of the Pacific side of northeast Japan in March, 2011 were investigated. Landward invasion limit of the tsunami was 4.0km from the present coastline in Sendai coastal plain. It was observed that sandy deposit was dristributed largely in coastward part and muddy deposit was distributed largely in landward part. The ratios of distribution distances of the above two deposits were, respectively, 60~75% and 25~40% of the whole invasion distance of the 2011 tsunami. The ratios of the above distribution distances of tsunami deposits could be used to estimate landward invasion distances of the past maga-tsunamies(e.g. '2,000year B.P. Mega-Tsunami' and 'Jogan Tsunami' etc.) in Sendai coastal plain. The mega-scale tsunami disasters were caused by the low and flat geomorphic condition in the Sendai coastal plain and the increasing effect of tsunami height affected by narrow inlet condition of the so-called Ria's coast in the Sanriku coastal area respectively. Tectonic subsidences caused by the mega-earthquake in march, 2011 were observed in many areas of Ishinomaki, Ogawa, Ogachi and Onagawa coasts in northeast Japan. The displacements of tectonic subsidence were between 0.5 meters and 1.0 meters.