Source modeling of the 2005 off-shore Miyagi prefecture, Japan, earthquake (MJMA=7.2) using the empirical Green’s function method

A preliminary source model composed of asperities for the 2005 off-shore Miyagi prefecture, Japan, earthquake (MJMA=7.2) was estimated by the empirical Green’s function method. The source parameters for two asperities located on the fault plane were determined by comparing synthesized broad-band ground motions with observed ones at several stations. We concluded that the stress parameters of the asperities are very high (90 MPa for Asp-1,300 MPa for Asp-2) and that these values are nearly equal to those (73 MPa and 29 MPa) calculated by the Earthquake Research Committee (2005) in Japan for the off-shore Miyagi prefecture earthquake that is expected in the near future. However, the location of the asperities is not completely consistent with the expected event.