RV Kaiyo Begins Research Cruise (Japan)

The Research Vessel Kaiyo has been deployed on a research cruise by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology since January 18, 2013.

The long-term borehole observatory, which was installed by the Deep Sea Drilling Vessel Chikyu beneath the seafloor of the Kumano Basin off the Kii Peninsula in the projected focal region of the Tonankai earthquake, was connected by the Kaiyo to the submarine cable monitoring network for earthquake and tsunami monitoring that is being deployed and operated in this ocean area. The data collected by the long-term borehole observatory (strain, temperature, pore-fluid pressure, seismic waves, etc.) were successfully received in real-time through the submarine cable monitoring network; the data quality was verified and it was confirmed that observations could be conducted for scientific research.

This is the world’s first real-time data acquisition from seismic and geodetic sensors installed in a borehole beneath the seafloor connected to a submarine cable monitoring network. This will allow investigation of changes beneath the seafloor in crustal strain, temperature, pore-fluid pressure, etc., associated with micro-earthquakes or deformations in the earth’s crust and their relationship to the occurrence of large earthquakes. The anticipated findings should contribute to understanding of the mechanisms of earthquakes. In addition, this will allow real-time observation on micro-earthquakes and crustal deformations that would be difficult to monitor with on land or seafloor surface-sited observatories.

Future plans include detailed verification of the quality of the data obtained from the long-term borehole observatory and coordination with organizations monitoring earthquakes in the projected focal region of the Tonankai Earthquake for data distribution.

In addition, it is planned to install a long-term borehole observatory in other locations in the same ocean area that will be connected to the DONET submarine cable monitoring network as well.

[mappress]

Press Release, February 12, 2013