The Noto Peninsula tsunami of 1 January 2024 as observed in the northern Sea of Japan

On 1 January 2024, a strong Mw 7.6 earthquake occurred on the Noto Peninsula, western Honshu Island, Japan. The earthquake produced a significant tsunami that spread over the entire Sea of Japan. This study focuses on the tsunami waves recorded by tide gauges in the northern part of the sea, including Tartar Strait. We examined tsunami records from four Japanese and five Russian tide gauges located in this region and also from one opensea bottom station deployed near Kholmsk, on the southwestern coast of Sakhalin Island. The 2024 tsunami waves reached maximum trough-to-crest wave heights of 65-73 cm at Fukaura and Rudnaya Pristan; the smallest waves of 15-16 cm were observed at the two northernmost stations, Uglegorsk and Sovetskaya Gavan. Our findings demonstrate strong topographic effects on tsunami waves and show that the V-shaped Tartar Strait, also known as "the Gulf of Tartary", effectively traps high-frequency wave energy in this region. A system of eigen (standing) modes with cross-strait nodal lines are formed there. The local topographic response properties of individual sites are also important factors affecting observed tsunami waves. From all examined sites, the strongest resonance, with a period of 8 min, occurs in Trade Port of Kholmsk; intense oscillations with this period were recorded at this site during both the 2024 Noto Peninsula and 2007 Nevelsk tsunamis, as well as in background noise. Comparative analyses of the 2024 and 2007 tsunamis reveal a much broader frequency band of generated waves during the 2024 event: 0.6-20 cph with a peak value at 4-5 cph (15-12 min) in 2024 and 0.9-17 cph with a peak value at 7.5 cph (8 min) in 2007. This appears to be the consequence of the much smaller source area of the 2007 tsunami.