Animation of Japan foreshocks-main shock-aftershocks

This animation from YouTube showns the main shock at 1:16, with both preceding foreshocks and succeeding aftershocks. Because the energy release increases by a factor of 27.5 with each step in magnitude, most of the energy is released by the main shock.

Beware if you are in the library: music is included.



 You can get a sense of all that activity by looking at the lists at the USGS/NEIC website.