著者
内田 直希 東 龍介 石上 朗 岡田 知己 高木 涼太 豊国 源知 海野 徳仁 太田 雄策 佐藤 真樹子 鈴木 秀市 高橋 秀暢 立岩 和也 趙 大鵬 中山 貴史 長谷川 昭 日野 亮太 平原 聡 松澤 暢 吉田 圭佑
出版者
日本地球惑星科学連合
雑誌
日本地球惑星科学連合2019年大会
巻号頁・発行日
2019-03-14

沈み込み帯研究のフロンティアである前弧の海域下において,防災科学技術研究所は新たに日本海溝海底地震津波観測網(S-net)を構築した.S-netは東北日本の太平洋側の海岸から約200kmの範囲を海溝直交方向に約30km,海溝平行方向に50-60km間隔でカバーする150点の海底観測点からなり,その速度と加速度の連続データが,2018年10月より2016年8月に遡って公開された.観測空白域に設置されたこの観測網は,沈み込み帯の構造およびダイナミクスの解明に風穴をあける可能性がある.本発表ではこの新しいデータを用いた最初の研究を紹介する.まず,海底の速度計・加速度計の3軸の方向を,加速度計による重力加速度および遠地地震波形の振動軌跡を用いて推定した.その結果,2つの地震に伴って1°以上のケーブル軸周りの回転が推定されたが,それ以外には大きな時間変化は見られないことがわかった.また,センサーの方位は,5-10°の精度で推定できた.さらに得られた軸方向を用い,東西・南北・上下方向の波形を作成した(高木・他,本大会).海底観測に基づく震源決定で重要となる浅部の堆積層についての研究では,PS変換波を用いた推定により,ほとんどの観測点で,350-400mの厚さに相当する1.3 – 1.4 秒のPS-P 時間が観測された.ただし,千島-日本海溝の会合部海側と根室沖の海溝陸側では,さらに堆積層が厚い可能性がある(東・他,本大会).また,雑微動を用いた相関解析でも10秒以下の周期で1.5 km/s と0.3 km/sの2つの群速度で伝播するレイリー波が見られ,それぞれ堆積層と海水層にエネルギーを持つモードと推定された(高木・他,本大会).さらに,近地地震波形の読み取りによっても,堆積層およびプレート構造の影響を明らかにすることができた.1次元および3次元速度構造から期待される走時との比較により,それぞれ陸域の地震の海溝海側での観測で3秒程度(岡田・他,本大会),海域の地震で場所により2秒程度(豊国・他,本大会)の走時残差が見られた.これらは,震源決定や地震波トモグラフィーの際の観測点補正などとして用いることができる(岡田・他,本大会; 豊国・他,本大会).もう少し深い上盤の速度構造もS-netのデータにより明らかとなった.遠地地震の表面波の到達時間の差を用いた位相速度推定では,20-50sの周期について3.6-3.9km/sの位相速度を得ることができた.これはRayleigh波の位相速度として妥当な値である.また,得られた位相速度の空間分布は,宮城県・福島県沖の領域で周りに比べて高速度を示した(石上・高木,本大会).この高速度は,S-netを用いた近地地震の地震波トモグラフィーからも推定されている.また,このトモグラフィーでは,S-netの利用により海溝に近い場所までの速度構造がよく求まることが示された(豊国・他,本大会).雑微動解析によっても,周期30秒程度の長周期まで観測点間を伝播するレイリー波およびラブ波を抽出することができた.これらも地殻構造の推定に用いることができる(高木・他,本大会).また,海域の前弧上盤の構造についてはS-net 観測点を用いたS波スプリッティング解析によって速度異方性の特徴が明らかになった.プレート境界地震を用いた解析から,速いS波の振動方向は,海溝と平行な方向を向く傾向があり,マントルウエッジの鉱物の選択配向や上盤地殻のクラックの向きを表している可能性がある(内田・他,本大会).プレート境界においては,繰り返し地震がS-net速度波形によっても抽出できることが示された.プレート境界でのスロースリップの検出やプレート境界の位置推定に役立つ可能性がある(内田・他,本大会).さらに,S-net加速度計のデータの中には,潮汐と思われる変動が観測されるものもあり,プレート境界におけるスロースリップによる傾斜変動を捉えられる可能性があるかもしれない(高木・他,本大会).以上のように,東北日本の前弧海洋底における連続観測について,そのデータの特性が明らかになるとともに,浅部から深部にわたる沈み込み帯の構造や変動についての新たな知見が得られつつある.これらの研究は技術的にも内容的にもお互いに密接に関わっており,総合的な解析の推進がさらなるデータ活用につながると考えられる. 謝辞:S-netの構築・データ蓄積および公開に携わられた皆様に感謝いたします.
著者
中島 淳一 長谷川 昭
出版者
公益社団法人 日本地震学会
雑誌
地震 第2輯 (ISSN:00371114)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.61, no.Supplement, pp.177-186, 2009-07-31 (Released:2013-11-21)
参考文献数
65

Since late 1990’s, a dense nationwide seismograph network has been constructed in the Japanese Islands with an average station separation of ∼ 20 km, which has produced the highest quality data in the world and contributed to enhance the understanding of seismotectonics and volcanotectonics there. Travel-time tomography using such high-quality data has provided two important constraints on water-transportation paths in subduction zones. One is the evidence for hydrous minerals in and immediately above the slab. The hydrated oceanic crust is imaged as a low-velocity layer to a depth of 40 km for the Philippine Sea slab and 70-130 km for the Pacific slab. Another low-velocity layer is revealed immediately above the Pacific slab down to a depth of ∼ 110 km, which might correspond to a hydrous layer through which water is carried to deeper depths. The other is seismological imaging of mantle upwelling. Mantle return flows induced by the subduction of the Pacific and Philippine Sea slabs are imaged in Tohoku and Kyushu, respectively, whereas that probably generated by the subduction of both the Pacific and Philippine Sea slabs is apparent in central Japan. A large upwelling in the upper mantle revealed in the Chugoku district might be the origin of Quaternary volcanism there.
著者
長谷川 昭 海野 徳仁 高木 章雄 鈴木 貞臣 本谷 義信 亀谷 悟 田中 和夫 澤田 義博
出版者
公益社団法人 日本地震学会
雑誌
地震 第2輯 (ISSN:00371114)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.36, no.2, pp.129-150, 1983-06-25 (Released:2010-03-11)
参考文献数
18
被引用文献数
13 13

Precise relocation of earthquakes occurring in Hokkaido and northern Honshu during the period from January, 1979 to October 1981 is made by using 35 stations of the microearthquake observation networks of Tohoku University, of Hokkaido University, of Hirosaki University and of Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry. Obtained hypocenter distribution shows the double-planed structure of the deep seismic zone in the whole area of Hokkaido and northern Honshu including the junction between the northeastern Japan arc and the Kurile arc. At the junction the deep seismic zone is contorted but is still double-planed at least in the upper 150km depth range. Beneath the southern end of the Kurile arc (central and eastern Hokkaido) the upper seismic plane of the double seismic zone disappears at depths greater than about 120km, whereas the seismicity in the upper seismic plane is still active in this depth range beneath the northeastern Japan arc.Hypocenters on the deep seismic zone beneath Hokkaido, relocated in the present study, are systematically shifted to the SE or SSE direction in comparison with the locations by the Hokkaido University network. This systematic shift of hypocenters is found to be well explained by the existence of the subducted lithosphere with seismic wave velocities higher than the surrounding mantle.
著者
伴野 祥一 塩原 雄二郎 田島 郁文 長谷川 昭 小野 光弘 笠原 浩一郎
出版者
北関東医学会
雑誌
北関東医学 (ISSN:13432826)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.28, no.1, pp.33-38, 1978

A 52-year-old male was found to have fever and complained of myalgia and joint pain.<BR>On physical examination by admission, his blood pressure was 128/68 mmHg, pulse 66 per minute, regular, temperature 38.5&deg;C. The patient was pale and appeared chronically ill. Bilateral temporal arteries were extended and moderately tender by percussion. Cardiac dulness was normal and heart sound was clear. Liver and spleen were not palpable. Muscles of extremities were slightly atrophic. Raynaud's phenomen negative. Purpuras on backs of feet were noticed. ECG showed normal sinus rhythm, no axis deviation, ST, T waves normal. X-ray of chest normal.<BR>At 2 weeks after admission, he had been noticed his blood pressure was elevated (BP 210/100 mmHg) and abdominal bruit audible. Following comfirming of polyarteritis nodosa by muscle biopsy of right quadriceps, steroid therapy bigan. On the 26th hospital day, suddenly he experienced severe pain in left hypochondrium which radiated into the back. He was explored surgically because the pain was persistent and anemia revealed progressively.<BR>Retroperitoneal hematoma was found along abdominal aorta and left kidney with subcapular bleeding enlarged as child's head sized but could not be removed because his general condition got worse. Peripheral plasma renin activity (PRA) on restricted salt intake (5g/day) while the patient kept in supine position was 11.9 ng/ml/h, renal vein renin analysis was as follows; r-renal vein 12.1 ng/ml/h, 1-renal vein 14.2 ng/ml/h, upper IVC 12.1 ng/ml/h, lower IVC 8.3 ng/ml/h. Angiotensin II analogue test was carried out using in-fusion of 1-Sarcosine 8-Isoleucine Angiotensin II. Blood pressure before test was 180/130 mmHg and reduced to 130/100 mmHg at 20 minutes after the biginning of infusion at the rate 300 ng/kg/min.. The blood pressure rose gradually to control level over subsequent one hour after the cessation of angiotensin II analogue. PRA level was 8.4 ng/ml/h before administration of angiotensin II analogue and similar value during infusion, then 8.7 ng/ml/h at 110 minutes after cessation of the infusion.
著者
堀内 茂木 山本 明 松沢 暢 河野 俊夫 長谷川 昭 高木 章雄 伊神 輝 山田 守 青木 治三
出版者
公益社団法人 日本地震学会
雑誌
地震 第2輯 (ISSN:00371114)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.38, no.4, pp.529-539, 1985-12-25 (Released:2010-03-11)
参考文献数
11
被引用文献数
1

A real-time system of automatic detection and location of seismic events has been developed by using a personal computer. Since speed of computation by a personal computer is low, a simple digital band-pass filter has been developed for the real-time system. The band-pass filter needs only several times of addition and subtraction to get an output. Event dection is based on a ratio of short to long term average of outputs of the filter whose cutoff frequencies are set to decrease amplitude of long period noise owing to microtremor and amplitude of short period noise owing to culture. Arrival times of the P and S waves are determined by applying Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) to outputs of the band-pass filter with narrow band whose central frequency is set to be a value of predominant frequency of the seismic signal.A temporary seismic observation with 8 stations for the aftershocks of the 1984 Western Nagano Prefecture Earthquake has been made by the use of radio and telephone telemetries. The real-time system of the automatic location of the seismic events was tested to demonstrate that hypocenter distribution obtained by the real-time system is nearly consistent with that determined from arrival time data which were read manually. It is shown that hypocenters of 60% among triggered events can be determined by this real-time system.
著者
青柳 英治 長谷川 昭子
出版者
明治大学
雑誌
基盤研究(C)
巻号頁・発行日
2013-04-01

本研究では、専門図書館職員のキャリア形成のあり方を検討するため、聞き取り調査と質問紙調査を行い、専門図書館職員の知識・技術の習得状況、親機関の人材育成に対する方針を考察した。その結果、聞き取り調査から、専門図書館職員のキャリア形成のプロセスと、キャリア形成のプロセスに影響を及ぼす要素を明らかにできた。質問紙調査から、管理者を通して人材育成の実態と問題点などを明らかにできた。
著者
山下 哲央 岡田 知己 松澤 暢 長谷川 昭
出版者
公益社団法人 日本地震学会
雑誌
地震 第2輯 (ISSN:00371114)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.56, no.4, pp.457-469, 2004-03-25 (Released:2010-03-11)
参考文献数
38
被引用文献数
2

We estimated the scaling relation, i. e. MO (seismic moment)-fC (corner frequency) relation, of small to moderate-sized earthquakes east off northeastern Japan. We used spectral ratio method to accurately estimate fC from observed spectra of earthquakes. We calculated spectral ratios of all the event pairs with spatial separations less than the hypocenter location errors, and estimated fC values by fitting them with theoretical spectral ratios. Seismic moments were estimated from the JMA (Japan Meteorological Agency) magnitudes. We also estimated spatial variation of the scaling relation along the plate boundary of the subduction zone. Obtained scaling relation was compared with the scaling law derived by Nadeau and Johnson (1998) in which seismic coupling coefficient was assumed to be 100%. Obtained MO-fC samples are somewhat scattered and the distribution range corresponds to seismic coupling coefficients of 1 to 100%. The range corresponds to stress drops of 0.1 to 10MPa. Regional variations of stress drops are also observed. In particular, lower stress drops are estimated in and around the fault area of the 1896 Sanriku tsunami earthquake. Higher stress drops are obtained for the deeper portion (deep thrust zone) of the plate boundary. This tendency of higher stress drops for deeper events can be explained by the difference in physical properties (i. e., rigidity) which depend on depth. The MO-fC relation also varies along the arc. Areas with higher stress drops are distributed in and around the asperities of some large earthquakes. These events with higher stress drops might occur off the plate boundary and/or on the plate boundary in and around the asperities.
著者
有吉 慶介 松澤 暢 矢部 康男 長谷川 昭 加藤 尚之
出版者
公益社団法人 日本地震学会
雑誌
地震 第2輯 (ISSN:00371114)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.59, no.4, pp.309-324, 2007-03-25 (Released:2013-08-05)
参考文献数
48

A two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulation of seismic cycles on the plate boundary in a subduction zone is performed based on a rate- and state-dependent friction law to obtain insight into complicated cycle of interplate earthquakes off Miyagi Prefecture and to investigate possible precursory sliding behavior. Assuming that the complexity of seismic cycle such as the off Miyagi Prefecture Earthquake is mainly due to the heterogeneity of frictional properties, we divide the plate boundary into five segments along dip direction: three frictionally stable segments and two (shallower and deeper) seismogenic segments are placed alternately. From many trial simulation results, we find that the frictional parameters (b-a)and dc in the deeper seismogenic segment should be smaller than those in the shallower segment in order to generate earthquakes in the deeper segment more frequently than in the shallower segment. The simulation results show that preseismic, coseismic, and postseismic slip in a seismogenic segment tends to become larger when it occurs just after the earthquake in the other seismogenic segment, because the previous earthquake in the other seismogenic segment keeps on forward slip through the intermediate aseismic segment. We also find that the stress rate in the down-dip direction in the vicinity of the lower edge of the deeper seismogenic segment is compressional for the period of about one year prior to the occurrence of the earthquake in the segment while it is tensional prior to the event in the shallower segment. This result suggests that seismic activity change in a slab can be a clue to the intermediate-term prediction of large interplate earthquakes.
著者
海野 徳仁 河野 俊夫 岡田 知己 中島 淳一 松澤 暢 内田 直希 長谷川 昭 田村 良明 青木 元
出版者
公益社団法人 日本地震学会
雑誌
地震 第2輯 (ISSN:00371114)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.59, no.4, pp.325-337, 2007-03-25 (Released:2013-08-05)
参考文献数
21
被引用文献数
1 5

Hypocenters of the main shocks and aftershocks of the 1933 Mjma 7.1, 1936 Mjma 7.4, 1937 Mjma 7.1, 1939 Mjma 6.9, 1978 Mjma 7.4, and 1981 Mjma 7.0 Miyagi-oki, NE Japan, earthquakes are relocated by using S-P times reported in the Seismological Bulletin of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and those re-read from original smoked-paper seismograms observed at Mizusawa station of National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) and at Mukaiyama station of Tohoku University. In order to avoid large errors caused by inaccuracies in the arrival times of P- and S-waves and the limited number of observation stations, we determined hypocenters by using a grid search method based on the assumption that these events occurred at the boundary between the subducting Pacific plate and the overriding plate. The main shock epicenters of the 1933, 1936, 1937, and 1978 earthquakes are determined close to each other, and distributions of their aftershocks show that aftershock areas of 1933, 1936, and 1937 events partly overlap with that of the 1978 event and occupy its easternmost, central, and westernmost portions, respectively. It is likely that the 1933, 1936, and 1937 events possibly ruptured a part of the source area of the 1978 event, that is the eastern, central, and western portions, respectively. Locations of the main shock and aftershock area of the 1939 event are adjacent to the eastern edge of the source area of 1978 event. After the 1978 event, the 1981 earthquake had occurred there following the slip on the asperities in the presumed Miyagi-oki earthquake source area.
著者
内田 直希 松澤 暢 三浦 哲 平原 聡 長谷川 昭
出版者
公益社団法人 日本地震学会
雑誌
地震 第2輯 (ISSN:00371114)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.59, no.4, pp.287-295, 2007-03-25 (Released:2013-08-05)
参考文献数
26
被引用文献数
4

Spatio-temporal distribution of quasi-static slip on the plate boundary east off Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, NE Honshu, Japan is estimated by using small repeating earthquake data. The analysis of small repeating earthquakes has advantages of relatively high spatial resolution, especially near the trench, and the availability of long-term data (22 years) compared to GPS data. The results show that the repeating earthquakes are distributed outside the coseismic slip areas (asperities) of large earthquakes, showing that fault creep is dominant outside the asperities. The cumulative slip (slip histories) of small repeating earthquake groups reveal the existence of many non-steady aseismic slip events. Most of the episodic quasi-static slip events are associated with M≥ 6 earthquakes and they are frequently seen in the areas near the Japan trench in particular. Minor afterslip (∼15cm) of the 2005 Miyagi-oki earthquake (M7.2) is also estimated in the area which encompasses the coseismic slip area of the 2005 earthquake.
著者
堀内 茂木 松澤 暢 長谷川 昭
出版者
公益社団法人 日本地震学会
雑誌
地震 第2輯 (ISSN:00371114)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.52, no.2, pp.241-254, 1999-10-20 (Released:2010-03-11)
参考文献数
22
被引用文献数
2

Many earthquakes occur after a destructive shallow earthquake or before a volcanic eruption. It is very important to determine accurate hypocenters as early as possible at a time of such a huge seismic activity, since seismicity data are essential for the understanding of the crustal activity. We developed an automatic data processing system of seismic waves which has a swarm mode processing and can locate accurate hypocenters even for a huge seismicity. The main difference between the swarm and ordinary modes is that the former assumes hypocenters for all events to be in a small area. Event detection is made by estimating approximate origin times calculated from each picked arrival time of P and S waves for several low noise stations close to the swarm area and each theoretical travel time from the swarm area to these stations. We assume events having similar origin times to be seismic events. The system picks P and S wave arrival times not only for these stations but also for all stations by setting time windows at their arrivals which are calculated from the approximate origin time. The application of swarm mode to waveform data at a huge seismicity after the 1996 Onikobe earthquake sequence showed that the new system is very effective and can determine more precise hypocenters rather than manual pickings.
著者
森 定雄 高山 森 後藤 幸孝 永田 公俊 絹川 明男 宝崎 達也 矢部 政実 高田 かな子 杉本 剛 清水 優 長島 功 長谷川 昭 仙波 俊裕 大島 伸光 前川 敏彦 杉谷 初雄 大関 博 中橋 計治 日比 清勝 大谷 肇 中村 茂夫 杉浦 健児 田中 鍛 荻原 誠司 勝野 保夫 大久保 哲雄
出版者
公益社団法人日本分析化学会
雑誌
分析化学 (ISSN:05251931)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.45, no.1, pp.95-101, 1996-01-05
被引用文献数
10 6

SEC専門部会傘下26測定機関でサイズ排除クロマトグラフィーによる高分子の分子量の共同測定を行った.試料はポリスチレン(PS)4種類, ポリメタクリル酸メチル(PMMA)2種類である.較正曲線作成用標準試料を配布し, 試料溶液の濃度, 注入量を規定するとともに, クロマトグラムベ-スラインの引き方を統一し, 又較正曲線は3次近似とした.その結果, かけ離れた数値を棄却した場合の相対標準偏差(RSD)はPSでは数平均分子量で13.7〜15.8%, 重量平均分子量で5.0〜5.8%.PMMAではそれぞれ11.9〜13.3%, 10.9〜11.3%であった.前回のラウンド口ビンテストと比較し, RSDが改善された様子は認められなかったが, 測定条件の不備による, 大きくかけ離れたデータがなくなった意義は大きい.RSDが改善されなかった理由の一つはベースラインに引き方の統一が完全でなかったことである.異なる検出器を使用した場合, 又異なるメーカーの標準試料を用いた場合, RSDが大きくなるようである.
著者
本山 治 永井 洋子 小原 武博 長谷川 昭
出版者
社団法人 日本腎臓学会
雑誌
日本腎臓学会誌 (ISSN:03852385)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.34, no.3, pp.279-286, 1992-03-25 (Released:2011-07-04)
参考文献数
19

It is presumed that graft size after renal transplantation from adult donor decreases in infant or very young recipient and increases in older recipient. Measurement of graft length, width, parenchymal thickness on intravenous pyelography (IVP) films, measurement of area of Bowman's capsule, glomerulus, capillary tuft and tubule on graft biopsy specimens were compared between 3 months and lyear after renal transplantation. The graft sizes decreased in recipients below 6 years-old or body height (Ht.) 90 cm and increased in recipients above 6 years-old, Ht. 100 cm. The case of decreased graft size was found a decrease of area of Bowman's capsule, glomerulus, capillary tuft and tubule. We suggest that it is caused by a difference between renal blood flow in infant and in adult. It is suggested that graft hypertrophy depends predominantly on increased tubular size and capillary tuft enlargement occurs prior to glomerular, tubular change. But, an increase in creatinine clearance (Ccr) was not found following graft hypertrophy.
著者
佐野 有司 高畑 直人 堀口 桂香 植木 貞夫 中島 淳一 長谷川 昭
出版者
一般社団法人日本地球化学会
雑誌
日本地球化学会年会要旨集 2006年度日本地球化学会第53回年会講演要旨集
巻号頁・発行日
pp.250, 2006 (Released:2007-11-01)

日本列島においても温泉や火山、天然ガスなどを通じて固体地球から揮発性元素が定常的に脱ガスされている。これらの中でマントル起源であることが明らかなヘリウムー3と地殻起源のヘリウムー4の比のマッピングをすることで、日本列島におけるテクトニックな場をヘリウム同位体比がどのように反映するか1980年代から研究されてきた。一方、地震波の高精度データが蓄積し、その解析法に進歩があり、地下の構造を示す地震波トモグラフィーの詳細な研究が行われつつある。本研究では、これまでに蓄積されたヘリウム同位体比のデータをコンパイルし、そのマッピングと地震波トモグラフィーのデータを比較検討し、日本列島における脱ガス過程と地下構造の関係について発表する。
著者
佐野 有司 高畑 直人 堀口 桂香 植木 貞夫 中島 淳一 長谷川 昭
出版者
日本地球化学会
雑誌
日本地球化学会年会要旨集
巻号頁・発行日
vol.53, pp.250-250, 2006

日本列島においても温泉や火山、天然ガスなどを通じて固体地球から揮発性元素が定常的に脱ガスされている。これらの中でマントル起源であることが明らかなヘリウムー3と地殻起源のヘリウムー4の比のマッピングをすることで、日本列島におけるテクトニックな場をヘリウム同位体比がどのように反映するか1980年代から研究されてきた。一方、地震波の高精度データが蓄積し、その解析法に進歩があり、地下の構造を示す地震波トモグラフィーの詳細な研究が行われつつある。本研究では、これまでに蓄積されたヘリウム同位体比のデータをコンパイルし、そのマッピングと地震波トモグラフィーのデータを比較検討し、日本列島における脱ガス過程と地下構造の関係について発表する。
著者
弘瀬 冬樹 中村 綾子 長谷川 昭
出版者
公益社団法人 日本地震学会
雑誌
地震 第2輯 (ISSN:00371114)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.55, no.3, pp.249-260, 2002-12-15 (Released:2010-03-09)
参考文献数
27
被引用文献数
11

We found a clear b-value variation associated with the rupture of asperities based on investigations of spatial and temporal distributions of frequency-magnitude relation for earthquakes in the northeastern (NE) Japan subduction zone. We used the Tohoku-University earthquake catalogue in the period from January 1, 1981 to October 3, 2001 after correcting artificial magnitude shift and removing artificial events. Spatial distribution of b-value is compared with the locations of asperities estimated on the plate boundary east off NE Japan. Estimated b-value decreases with increasing depth. Anomalously high b-values are observed in two areas off-Iwate and off-Fukushima regions, and asperities do not intrude into them. Temporal variation of b-value for presently analysed six asperities shows a remarkable increase in b-value after the rupture of each asperity. Then the b-value decreases gradually. These observations suggest that b-value reflects the stress change occurring in the vicinity of the asperities.