Understanding of postseismic deformation following great subduction zone earthquakes is complicated by the combined effects of viscoelastic relaxation of earthquake-induced stresses in the upper mantle and time-dependent afterslip on the megathrust. We integrate geodetic observations and constraints on afterslip from small repeating earthquakes on the megathrust to better distinguish contributions from these two postseismic processes. We have developed a three-dimensional, spherical viscoelastic finite element model to study the postseismic deformation of the 2011 Mw9.0 Tohoku earthquake that has been recorded at unprecedented high resolution in space and time. We model s
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A better understanding of fluid-related processes such as poroelastic rebound of the upper crust and weakening of the lower crust beneath the volcanic arc helps better understand and correctly interpret the heterogeneity of postseismic deformation following great subduction zone earthquakes. The postseismic deformation following the 2011 Mw9.0 Tohoku earthquake, recorded with unprecedented high resolution in space and time, provides a unique opportunity to study these ‘second-order’ subduction zone processes. We use a three-dimensional viscoelastic finite element model to study the effects of fluid-related processes on the postseismic deformation. A poroelastic rebound (
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Decadal-scale postseismic deformation of subduction earthquakes has been widely modeled using a Maxwell viscoelastic Earth with a mantle-wedge viscosity of about 10^19 Pa s. Short-term postseismic deformation within a few years after the earthquake remains a more challenging problem because of the predominance of afterslip of the megathrust and the potentially more complex mantle rheology. Questions include the necessity of invoking the transient rheology and the relative importance of contributions from afterslip and viscoelastic relaxation. Primary observational constraints for the short-term postseismic deformation include 1 year net displacements of nine near-field
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