Earth Science News
SHAKE AND BLOW
Epic voyage to study earthquake triggers beneath the ocean
illustration only
Epic voyage to study earthquake triggers beneath the ocean
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 23, 2024

A team of international scientists, including two researchers from The Australian National University (ANU), is set to embark on a mission to explore the Japan Trench and better understand the causes of tsunamis.

The researchers will be aboard the world's most advanced drilling-equipped science vessel, Chikyu, which will drill into the Tohoku-oki earthquake fault zone-where the massive 2011 earthquake in Japan triggered a deadly tsunami.

This earthquake occurred after centuries of stress accumulation, leading to a dramatic release that shifted the tectonic plate beneath Japan upwards and eastwards by as much as 50 meters. The resulting displacement of the seafloor triggered a tsunami that devastated the region.

Associate Professor Ron Hackney, a geophysicist from ANU and Director of the Australian and New Zealand International Scientific Drilling Consortium (ANZIC), will be part of the team for seven weeks. He described the project as an international effort with experts from more than a dozen countries working together to unravel the mechanics behind earthquakes and tsunamis to improve preparedness and minimize future impacts.

"I'm excited to be part of an amazing team of international experts from over a dozen countries all putting their heads together to unpick the details of how earthquakes and tsunamis occur, so we can better prepare for them and reduce their impact," Hackney said.

The team will drill up to a kilometer below the seafloor in water about seven kilometers deep to collect core samples from both sides of the fault.

"There's so much work, such complex engineering and impressive technology that must come together to extract those little cylinders of Earth. But the core samples can tell us so much," Hackney explained.

The site had previously been drilled in the year following the 2011 quake, and the new expedition will provide insights into how the rocks have changed since then. The researchers will study the physical properties of the materials recovered, such as density, porosity, and strength, and analyze the fluids within the rocks.

Associate Professor Will Grant, also from ANU, will join the team as an outreach officer for two weeks. His role will involve studying the scientists themselves and how they approach and communicate their work.

The expedition is part of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), a decade-long collaboration aimed at extracting core samples from the Earth's crust. This marks the 58th and final expedition in the program.

"Over the last decade, we've sent a total of 81 Australian and New Zealand researchers on scientific drilling expeditions that have extracted nearly 100 kilometers worth of core," Hackney said. "The resulting samples and data will take years to examine fully but will deepen our understanding of subduction zones."

Related Links
ANU Research School of Earth Sciences
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
SHAKE AND BLOW
Small tsunamis hit Japan's Izu Islands after quake
Tokyo (AFP) Sept 24, 2024
A small tsunami was observed on the remote Japanese island of Hachijojima on Tuesday, the weather agency said, after a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck near the Izu Islands chain. Waves of 50 centimetres (20 inches) hit Hachijojima at around 9 am (0000 GMT), after the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami alert for the region south of Tokyo. The small tsunami was observed around 45 minutes after the earthquake, which the United States Geological Survey said had a shallow depth of 11.7 kilo ... read more

SHAKE AND BLOW
Sweden boosts aid to transit countries to curb migration

Israel strike hinders Lebanese escape route to Syria: UN

Japan to resume trial removal of Fukushima nuclear debris: reports

Terrified Bangladeshis flee Israeli strikes in Lebanon

SHAKE AND BLOW
India's green fashion lovers switch to secondhand

Advances in 3D-printed concrete boost strength, durability, and eco-friendly potential

Successful test could lead to discovery of element 120

Cage rage: How AI still divides actors and studios

SHAKE AND BLOW
Marshes provide cost-effective coastal protection

Seabed disturbance releases carbon and reduces oxygen

Western Australian coastlines reveal a complex history of sea level rise

Kiribati's pro-China president eyes third term

SHAKE AND BLOW
Slowing ocean currents may slightly ease Arctic warming

Paws of polar bears sustaining ice-related injuries in a warming Arctic

New ice core research unveils climate tipping points from the last Ice Age

Rapid industrial growth impacting Arctic ecosystems

SHAKE AND BLOW
Picky protection rules hamper Swiss mushrooming craze

Microbial emissions, not fossil fuels, drove methane surge from 2020 to 2022

Global research reveals key factors driving woody species spread in arid regions

End of golden era for Chinese investors in Bordeaux wine

SHAKE AND BLOW
Death toll in Philippine storm rises to 100

At Turkey quake trial, families to seek justice 'until last breath'

Floods hit Saint-Tropez as rains lash south of France; EU pledges 20M euros for Bosnia

Rare Sahara floods bring Morocco's dried-up south back to life

SHAKE AND BLOW
Sundanese rebel group kills at least 120 in deadliest civil conflict

West African social media fizzes with pro-BRICS content

Activists say over 70 dead in two days of Sudan fighting

Chad president ousts top security officials

SHAKE AND BLOW
Colombia's Awa people resist violence, maintain 'spiritual bond' with nature

A SMART method to enhance effectiveness of cartilage repair therapy

Artificial intelligence forms external cognitive system, reshaping human thought processes

Why humans love carbs: A genetic trait that predates agriculture

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.