Science of Slow Earthquakes

Science of Slow Earthquakes - Toward a unified understanding of all earthquake events from low-speed deformation to high-speed slip

Project Overview
Administrative Group (Area number: JP16H06472)
International Group (Area number: JP16K21728)

  1. Admin, Int
  2. A01
  3. A02
  4. B01
  5. B02
  6. C01
  7. C02

Activities

Administrative Group is to coordinate the activities throughout the research area so that all the research activities of 6 research groups harmonize and interact effectively to check the progress of the planned and granted researches. It also aims at achieving our goal, "a unified understanding of all the earthquake phenomena, from low-speed deformation to high-speed slip" by integrating research findings in each group. Its functions are:

  • - Coordinate/correspond internal/external concerned researchers/persons. Hold headquarter meetings as necessary. Maintenance/update the webpage/mailing lists.
  • - Plan/conduct domestic workshops. Grasp the status of the whole project/each planned research. Activate discussion/cooperative researches within the project. Release the newsletters to introduce the research achievements/activities such as workshops. Widely spread information on slow earthquakes internally/externally actively using public relation activities using webpages, publicizing at conferences/affiliations and outreach activities.
  • - Recruit/examine granted researches. Conduct coordination works so the adopted research will be successfully achieved in harmonization with existing researches.
  • - Plan/edit a special edition of an academic bulletin after an international conference. Encourage researchers participating in the project to vigorously submit theses.

Plan conducting sessions/symposiums at the conferences such as JpGU meetings, the Seismological Society of Japan, the Geological Society of Japan, the Physical Society of Japan and AGU. Activate discussions on this project at those societies based on such sessions/symposiums.

International Group

Slow earthquakes are phenomena firstly discovered in Japan around 2000, then in various parts of the world. Although Japanese researchers have a lead over those in other countries in discovery and understanding of them, international competition is getting fierce. Similar events have been discovered in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Taiwan and most parts of Pacific Rim. Such events will be likely discovered in other areas/countries in the future. With impact of massive earthquakes which occurred in many areas of the world in recent years, slow earthquakes, new phenomena associated with the occurrence of massive earthquakes, have been drawing remarkably high attention. Many noteworthy papers have been published and many lectures have been given at societies.

To implement global activities effectively, comprehensive researches to lead the world in Japan are necessary. The research target of slow earthquakes is across fields of Solid Earth Physics, Geology and Physics. Missions of the International Group are: to enhance joint researches among Japanese researchers for smooth information sharing, then to invite overseas researchers to the project through counterparts and to play a role as the hub of global slow earthquakes researches by comparing fragmentary phenomena occurring and facts observed in various parts of the world. The members of the International Group have built a wide network across the world through interactions of overseas researchers and activities at various societies. They have called many overseas researchers for cooperation with the project. Using such network and by spreading researches in slow earthquakes globally in cooperation with related projects in other areas of the world, the International Group aims at showing leadership of worldwide earthquake researches including slow and massive earthquakes.
In detail, the Group plans to invite overseas researchers, to dispatch young researchers, to hold international symposiums, to publish special editions on international scientific journals (after international symposiums), to collaborate with related international projects and to conduct public relations activities on international activities.

Slow Earthquakes in the World

Members

Project Leader
  • OBARA, KazushigeEarthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
Co-investigators
  • HIROSE, HitoshiResearch Center for Urban Safety and Security, Kobe University
  • MOCHIZUKI, KimihiroEarthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
  • UJIIE, KohtaroGraduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba
  • IDE, SatoshiSchool of Science, The University of Tokyo
  • HATANO, TakahiroSchool of Science, Osaka University
Research Collaborators
  • MIYAZAKI, ShinichiGraduate School of Science, Kyoto University
  • TANAKA, YoshiyukiDepartment of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo
  • TSURUOKA, HiroshiEarthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
  • TAKEO, AkikoEarthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
  • ITO, YoshihiroDisaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University
  • KODAIRA, ShuichiResearch and Development Center for Earthquake and Tsunami, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
  • HINO, RyotaGraduate School of Science, Tohoku University
  • SATAKE, KenjiEarthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
  • KIMURA, GakuResearch Institute for Marine Geodynamics, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology