Beneath the waters off Japan¡¯s northeastern coast where two tectonic plates converge, scientists aboard a research vessel are investigating the causes of one of the most powerful earthquakes in recorded history by drilling to a total depth of 7,877.5 meters below sea level.
Operated by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), the deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu ¡ª one of only two such ships in the world dedicated solely to scientific research ¡ª has embarked on a 106-day expedition to investigate the Japan Trench subduction zone, approximately 200 kilometers off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, a journey that the researchers aim to complete by Dec. 20.
Researchers hope to piece together the earthquake¡¯s story and assess the potential for the fault ¡ª the same one that triggered the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake ¡ª to cause another massive quake in the future.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.