RESEARCH

Plate subduction zones, extending from the incoming oceanic plate to the back-arc region, are areas where diverse geodynamic processes occur, including devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in the forearc and back-arc regions and volcanic eruptions along island arcs. To better understand these processes, we aim to elucidate subsurface structures, seismic and volcanic activity, and their temporal variations through marine geophysical observations, making full use of research vessels and deployable seafloor geophysical instruments. Our study areas include subduction zones not only in Japan but also around the world through international research collaborations.

Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions in marine environments can cause sudden and large-scale disasters. To understand the preparatory processes and subsequent evolution of these geological phenomena, it is essential to decipher past occurrences and the Earth’s internal processes from geological records preserved underground and on the seafloor.
We therefore investigate rocks and sediments that retain evidence of past seismic and volcanic activity, using cutting-edge geochemical and geophysical analyses to reconstruct their event histories and to elucidate the Earth’s internal processes.
Furthermore, by incorporating simulations and AI-based methods, we aim to clarify the generation and transport processes of heat, magma, and fluids within the Earth and to advance our understanding of subduction zone dynamics.

Real-time monitoring of seafloor and subsurface processes provides a better understanding of the stress state of plate tectonic boundaries such as the Nankai Trough, and of magmatic activities at offshore volcanoes in regions like Izu-Ogasawara. We are developing analysis methods that combine cutting-edge monitoring data with underground structural models to reveal the spatio-temporal variations of seismic and volcanic activity. In addition, we aim to enhance prediction methods for earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis triggered by these geodynamic events. Based on these efforts, we are constructing an integrated system encompassing real-time analysis of geodetic and geophysical data, as well as the framework for disseminating resultant information.