Faculty of Science and TechnologyKochi Earthquake Observatory
To investigate seismic activity in the Shikoku region, we operate eight permanent observation stations across Shikoku, including this one, and exchange waveform data via communication lines with seismic observatories at neighboring universities.
The earthquakes we observe range widely, from those near Shikoku to major earthquakes in South America that propagate toward the Earth’s core. Our research focuses on the spatiotemporal distribution of microseismic events near Shikoku associated with the Nankai Trough earthquake—which has occurred repeatedly in the past—as well as the mechanisms underlying these earthquakes and the detailed velocity structure extending to the upper mantle. These topics also serve as research subjects for undergraduate theses in the Department of Physics.