Researchers are studying the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake, investigating the factors that controlled its rupture process. The role of structural barriers, fault heterogeneity, and plate controls are being examined using various methods, including 3D finite element modeling and geodetic data. The earthquake's complexity and the resulting tsunami are being analyzed through multiple approaches, with some studies focusing on the spatial extent of slow earthquake slip and others on the validation of finite-fault models.