Modeling near-field tsunami observations to improve finite-fault slip models for the 11 March 2011 Tohoku earthquake

The massive tsunami generated by the 11 March 2011 Tohoku earthquake (M_w 9.0) was widely recorded by GPS buoys, wave gauges, and ocean bottom pressure sensors around the source. Numerous inversions for finite-fault slip time histories have been performed using seismic and/or geodetic observations, yielding generally consistent patterns of large co-seismic slip offshore near the hypocenter and/or up-dip near the trench, where estimated peak slip is ~60 m. Modeling the tsunami generation and near-field wave processes using two detailed rupture models obtained from either teleseismic P waves or high-rate GPS recordings in Japan allows evaluation of how well the finite-fault models account for the regional tsunami data. By determining sensitivity of the tsunami calculations to rupture model features, we determine model modifications that improve the fit to the diverse tsunami data while retaining the fit to the seismic and geodetic observations

The 25 October 2010 Mentawai tsunami earthquake (M_w 7.8) and the tsunami hazard presented by shallow megathrust ruptures

The 25 October 2010 Mentawai, Indonesia earthquake (M_w 7.8) ruptured the shallow portion of the subduction zone seaward of the Mentawai islands, off-shore of Sumatra, generating 3 to 9 m tsunami run-up along southwestern coasts of the Pagai Islands that took at least 431 lives. Analyses of teleseismic P, SH and Rayleigh waves for finite-fault source rupture characteristics indicate ∼90 s rupture duration with a low rupture velocity of ∼1.5 km/s on the 10° dipping megathrust, with total slip of 2–4 m over an ∼100 km long source region. The seismic moment-scaled energy release is 1.4 × 10^(−6), lower than 2.4 × 10^(−6) found for the 17 July 2006 Java tsunami earthquake (M_w 7.8). The Mentawai event ruptured up-dip of the slip region of the 12 September 2007 Kepulauan earthquake (M_w 7.9), and together with the 4 January 1907 (M 7.6) tsunami earthquake located seaward of Simeulue Island to the northwest along the arc, demonstrates the significant tsunami generation potential for shallow megathrust ruptures in regions up-dip of great underthrusting events in Indonesia and elsewhere

Optical spectroscopy of gan microcavities with thicknesses controlled using a plasma etch-back

The effect of an etch-back step to control the cavity length within GaN-based microcavities formed between two dielectric Bragg mirrors was investigated using photoluminescence and reflectivity. The structures are fabricated using a combination of a laser lift-off technique to separate epitaxial III-N layers from their sapphire substrates and electron-beam evaporation to deposit silica/zirconia multilayer mirrors. The photoluminescence measurements reveal cavity modes from both etched and nonetched microcavities. Similar cavity finesses are measured for 2.0 and 0.8 mm GaN cavities fabricated from the same wafer, indicating that the etchback has had little effect on the microcavity quality. For InGaN quantum well samples the etchback is shown to allow controllable reduction of the cavity length. Two etch steps of 100 nm are demonstrated with an accuracy of approximately 5%. The etchback, achieved using inductively coupled plasma and wet chemical etching, allows removal of the low-quality GaN nucleation layer, control of the cavity length, and modification of the surface resulting from lift-off