Seismic subsidence near the source region of the 1662 Kanbun Hyuganada Sea earthquake; Geochemical, stratigraphical, chronological, and paleontological evidences in Miyazaki Plain, southwest Japan

Niwa, Masakazu; Kamataki, Takanobu*; Kurosawa, Hideki*; Kokubu, Yoko; Ikuta, Masafumi*

Island Arc, 29(1), p.e12341_1 - e12341_26, 2020/01

https://doi.org/10.1111/iar.12341

Based on detailed geochemical and paleontological analyses for lowland sediments in the Miyazaki Plain, southwest Japan, we clearly identified environmental change from the lower terrestrial sediments to the upper shallow marine sediments. Radiocarbon ages and tephra data suggest that the environmental change is attributed to local subsidence due to the 1662 Kanbun Hyuganada Sea Earthquake shown in historical records. This findings are important for historical earthquake studies because the study area is a part of the expected focal region of megathrust earthquakes along the Nankai Trough.

Identification of pumice derived from historic eruption in the same volcano; Case study for the Sakurajima-Bunmei tephra in the Miyazaki Plain

Ikuta, Masafumi*; Niwa, Masakazu; Danhara, Toru*; Yamashita, Toru*; Maruyama, Seiji*; Kamataki, Takanobu*; Kobayashi, Tetsuo*; Kurosawa, Hideki*; Kokubu, Yoko; Hirata, Takafumi*

Chishitsugaku Zasshi, 122(3), p.89 - 107, 2016/03

https://doi.org/10.5575/geosoc.2016.0003

We carried out mineral composition analysis, morphological classification of volcanic glass shards and refractive index measurements of the glass shards and orthopyroxene from the eruption products from Sakurajima volcano. In this study, refractive indexes of hydrated and non-hydrated parts within each individual glass shard were measured separately. This measurements in consideration of hydration in glass shards made possible distinct discrimination of the pumice samples from the three eruption events of Bunmei, An-ei, and Taisho. Pumice layers in the core samples obtained from the southern part of the Miyazaki Plain were also identified as the Sakurajima-Bunmei tephra by the above mentioned analyses, and also by the data of radiocarbon dating for coaly materials included in the pumice layers. Occurrences of the pumice layers suggest that the Sakurajima-Bunmei tephra could have reached the southern part of Miyazaki Plain as pumice falls.

Analytical data of Holocene sediments in the Miyazaki Plain, Southern Kyushu, Japan

Ikuta, Masafumi; Niwa, Masakazu; Takatori, Ryoichi*; Kamataki, Takanobu*; Kurosawa, Hideki*

JAEA-Data/Code 2014-002, 246 Pages, 2014/06

JAEA-Data-Code-2014-002-01.pdf:17.7MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2014-002-02.pdf:49.07MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2014-002-03.pdf:39.02MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2014-002-04.pdf:36.25MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2014-002-05.pdf:22.17MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2014-002-appendix(DVD).zip:1642.4MB

The Miyazaki Plain, facing the Hyuga-nada, had been attacked repeatedly by historical tsunami events induced by the giant earthquakes centered in the Hyuga-nada or Nankai Trough. However, scientific studies concerning the tsunami events are still poor in this area. Disappearance of subsurface sediments due to fast uplift rates in the Miyazaki Plain is considered to make difficult to proceed such studies. This database shows the result of the study for Holocene sediments in the Miyazaki Plain in 2012, including chemical composition analysis of absorbed water, microfossil identification, description of tephra deposits and radiocarbon dating, as well as geological description of drilled cores. It is closely related to the study for the reactivation of coastal geological faults caused by the giant subduction zone earthquakes.

Spatial distribution and characteristics of fracture zones near a long-lived active fault; A Field-based study for understanding changes in underground environment caused by long-term fault activities

Niwa, Masakazu; Kurosawa, Hideki; Ishimaru, Tsuneari

Engineering Geology, 119(1-2), p.31 - 50, 2011/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2011.01.011

Fracture zone development has a substantial impact on long-term changes in the underground environment because fracture zones are leading candidates as groundwater flowpaths as well as a locus for mechanical disturbance by fracturing. For understanding fracture zone development we surveyed the spatial distribution and characteristics of fracture zones in an area 4 km to the north and 6 km to the south from the western part of the Atotsugawa Fault, a long-lived active fault in central Japan. This study suggests that fracture zones along the Atotsugawa Fault act as a major conduit controlling regional groundwater flow. Based on rock features and deformation fabrics at meso- and microscopic scales, once fracture zones had formed, epigenetic deformation was concentrated in the ancient fracture zones.

Research on geosphere stability for long-term isolation of radioactive waste (Progress report for fiscal years 2005 - 2009: H22 report)

Kusano, Tomohiro; Asamori, Koichi; Kurosawa, Hideki; Kokubu, Yoko; Tanikawa, Shinichi; Negi, Tateyuki; Hanamuro, Takahiro; Yasue, Kenichi; Yamasaki, Seiko; Yamada, Kunimi; et al.

JAEA-Research 2010-044, 153 Pages, 2011/01

JAEA-Research-2010-044.pdf:12.53MB

This progress report (H22 report) documents progress made during JAEA 1st Midterm Plan (FY 2005 - 2009) to provide the scientific base for assessing geosphere stability for long-term isolation of the high-level radioactive waste. For the current 5-year R&D programme, three major goals have been defined as follows: (1) development and synthesis of investigation techniques for selecting suitable sites in geosphere stability, (2) development, application, and evaluation of prediction models for evaluating the changes of geological environment in thermal, hydraulic, mechanical and geochemical conditions for a long period of time, and (3) development of new dating techniques for providing information about geologic history and the timing of geologic events. In this paper, the current status of R&D activities with previous scientific and technological progress is summarized.

Annual report for research on long-term stability of geological environments in FY2008

Kusano, Tomohiro; Asamori, Koichi; Kurosawa, Hideki; Tanikawa, Shinichi; Ninomiya, Atsushi; Negi, Tateyuki; Hanamuro, Takahiro; Yasue, Kenichi; Yamada, Kunimi; Ishimaru, Tsuneari; et al.

JAEA-Research 2009-072, 72 Pages, 2010/03

JAEA-Research-2009-072.pdf:11.27MB

The Japanese islands are located in the tectonically active Circum-Pacific Mobile Belt. As a result, Japan has a high frequency of earthquakes and eruptions. Special consideration is given to the long-term stability of the geological environment, taking into account volcanism, faulting, uplift, denudation, climatic change and sea-level change in Japan. Development of research/prediction technologies for geotectonic events has been carried out to evaluate the long-term stability of the geological environment in Japan. In fiscal year 2008, we carried out the following researches. For studies on faulting and seismic activity, we developed investigation techniques for evolutional history and activity of fault, and carried out case studies for development of effective assessment model in the fault zones. For volcanological and geothermal studies, we provided an integrated approach for detecting crustal magma and/or geothermal fluid in deep underground using geophysical and geochemical data. For the general evaluation study on uplift/denudation and climatic/sea-level change, we arranged investigation techniques for reconstruction of paleo-topography and paleo-climate, and to establish a simulation model for landform development. For studies on the long-term stability of the geological environments, we developed simulation techniques for groundwater flow related by crustal movement.

Annual report for research on long-term stability of geological environments in FY2007

Kusano, Tomohiro; Nohara, Tsuyoshi; Umeda, Koji; Ishimaru, Tsuneari; Hanamuro, Takahiro; Saito, Tatsuo; Yasue, Kenichi; Niwa, Masakazu; Shimada, Koji; Yamada, Kunimi; et al.

JAEA-Research 2009-022, 47 Pages, 2009/09

JAEA-Research-2009-022.pdf:48.94MB

The Japanese islands are located in the tectonically active Circum-Pacific Mobile Belt. As a result, Japan has a high frequency of earthquakes and eruptions. Special consideration is given to the long-term stability of the geological environment, taking into account volcanism, faulting, uplift, denudation, climatic change and sea-level change in Japan. Development of research/prediction technologies for geotectonic events has been carried out to evaluate the long-term stability of the geological environment in Japan. In fiscal year 2007, we carried out the following researches, to confirm existence of the phenomena that have influences on geological disposal system (e.g., active faulting, volcanism), and to develop the investigation techniques to reconstruct the history of these phenomena. For studies of faulting and seismic activity, we developed the investigation techniques to research distribution of crush zone, process of faulting, activity, and so on. For volcanological and geothermal studies, we developed a technique for detecting crustal magma and/or geothermal fluid in deep underground. For studies of uplift/denudation and climatic/sea-level changes, we extracted investigation techniques for landform developments and uplift rate with river terraces.

Crush zone structure in a compressional step; An Example of the western part of the Atotsugawa Fault, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture of Japan

Niwa, Masakazu; Shimada, Koji; Kurosawa, Hideki; Miwa, Atsushi*

Chishitsugaku Zasshi, 114(10), p.495 - 515, 2008/10

https://doi.org/10.5575/geosoc.114.495

This paper provides a geological description of crush zones in the western part of the active Atotsugawa Fault, Gifu Prefecture of Japan, to understand crush zone structures in steps of strike-slip faults. By means of aerial photograph interpretation, we recognized that the occurrence of a step is suggestive in the Sangawara area, and that a long strand of the Atotsugawa Fault with ENE-WSW trend is traced in the Itani Area. On the Basis of the detailed geological observation, attitude and sense of shear planes, and thickness and clay mineral composition of fault gouge are different between crush zones of the Sangawara and Itani areas. In the Sangawara area, shear planes with NNE-SSW and NW-SE strikes, high-angle oblique to the trend of the Atotsugawa Fault, are characteristically developed. These shear planes can be a part of the composite planar fabric such as R2 surfaces which are dominantly developed within compressional steps.

Study on evaluation method of potential impact of natural phenomena on a HLW disposal system

Kawamura, Makoto; Oi, Takao; Niizato, Tadafumi; Yasue, Kenichi; Tokiwa, Tetsuya; Niwa, Masakazu; Shimada, Koji; Kurosawa, Hideki; Asamori, Koichi; Kawachi, Susumu; et al.

JAEA-Research 2008-018, 47 Pages, 2008/03

JAEA-Research-2008-018.pdf:24.18MB

In this report, we sophisticated the framework as a part of the total system performance assessment for two purposes: the first one is quantification of relationship of characteristic of natural phenomena between geological environmental conditions (THMCG), and the other one is quantification of relationship of THMCG condition between parameters of performance assessment. On the other hand, we applied the sophisticated framework to all natural phenomena. As a result, to apply the sophisticated framework, we could show that information integration could carry out efficiently. Moreover, we have checked that the framework was applicable to all phenomena. Furthermore, we could show that suitable scenarios might be chosen by information integration.

Active tectonics of the Senya Hills and evolution of the Senya Active Fault, Eastern margin of the Yokote Basin Fault Zone, Northeast Japan

Kagohara, Kyoko*; Imaizumi, Toshifumi*; Miyauchi, Takahiro*; Sato, Hiroshi*; Uchida, Takuma*; Echigo, Tomoo*; Ishiyama, Tatsuya*; Matsuta, Nobuhisa*; Okada, Shinsuke*; Ikeda, Yasutaka*; et al.

Chigaku Zasshi, 115(6), p.691 - 714, 2006/12

https://doi.org/10.5026/jgeography.115.6_691

The eastern marginal fault zone of the Yokote Basin is one of seismogenic reverse faults developed in Northeast Japan, generating the 1896 Riku-u Earthquake (M7.2). We discussed the relationship among fault traces, geomorphic displacements and fault geometries on the Senya fault, based on a data from high-resolution seismic reflection profiling, investigations in tectonic geomorphology and structural geology, with the help of the balanced cross section method. By the restoring the balanced cross sections, the horizontal shortening amount is estimated to be totally 3 km through the thrust system, and the thrusting is retroactive to 2.4 Ma. Depending on the strike of fault traces and the morphotectonic features, the Senya fault is subdivided into three, the northern, central and southern portion. The initiation of thrust front migration is ca.1.6 Ma at the central portion and 0.6 Ma at the northern portion. This means that the central portion preceded the northern portion as an emergent fault, and suggests that the initial propagated fault extends from the fault end to the boundary fault.