title: Disturbance of deep-sea environments induced by the M9.0 Tohoku Earthquake.
abstract: The impacts of the M9.0 Tohoku Earthquake on deep-sea environment were investigated 36 and 98 days after the event. The light transmission anomaly in the deep-sea water after 36 days became atypically greater (∼35%) and more extensive (thickness ∼1500 m) near the trench axis owing to the turbulent diffusion of fresh seafloor sediment, coordinated with potential seafloor displacement. In addition to the chemical influx associated with sediment diffusion, an influx of (13)C-enriched methane from the deep sub-seafloor reservoirs was estimated. This isotopically unusual methane influx was possibly triggered by the earthquake and its aftershocks that subsequently induced changes in the sub-seafloor hydrogeologic structures. The whole prokaryotic biomass and the development of specific phylotypes in the deep-sea microbial communities could rise and fall at 36 and 98 days, respectively, after the event. We may capture the snap shots of post-earthquake disturbance in deep-sea chemistry and microbial community responses.
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawagucci
authors.forename: Yukari T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Takuroh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Makio C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Urumu
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tsunogai
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takaki
authors.forename: Takuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nunoura
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Weiren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitazato
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takai