January 13, 2016
Earthquake Research Committee,
Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion
There was no remarkable activity.
There was no remarkable activity.
There was no remarkable activity.
* In the GNSS data for the Tokai region, there has been no change of activity which is likely to be associated with the Tokai earthquake.
* On December 14, there was a Magnitude (M) 4.2 earthquake at a depth of approximately 10 km in central Tottori prefecture. The focal mechanism of this event showed a strike-slip fault type with a compression axis in an E-W direction. This event occurred within the crust.
There was no remarkable activity
* On January 6, there was a M6.0 earthquake at a depth of approximately 190 km under the ocean area near Iwotou Island. The focal mechanism of this event had a tension axis in an E-W direction. This event occurred within the Pacific plate.
* On January 9, there was a M5.4 earthquake at a depth of approximately 30 km under the ocean area near Amami Oshima. The focal mechanism of this event showed a reverse fault type with a compression axis in an N-S direction (preliminary).
* On January 11, there was a M4.6 earthquake at a depth of approximately 10 km in Sanpachi-Kamikita region, Aomori prefecture. The focal mechanism of this event showed a reverse fault type with a compression axis in an ENE-WSW direction (preliminary). This event occurred within the crust.
Note: [ ] is the regional name of the epicenter used in the Japan
Meteorological Agency announcement.
GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is a general name of satellite
positioning system such as GPS.
January 13, 2016
Earthquake Research Committee
The following are the numbers of earthquakes by magnitude that occurred in Japan and the surrounding area during December 2015.
(reference)
The following events for the period from December 2014 to late November, 2015 have been listed as "Major Seismic Activities" in monthly "Evaluation of Seismic Activities."
| – Southern Tokushima Prefecture | M5.1 on February 6, 2015 (Depth of approximately 10 km) |
|
| – Offshore Sanriku | M6.9 on February 17, 2015 | |
| – Offshore Iwate Prefecture | M5.7 on February 17, 2015 (Depth of approximately 50 km) |
|
| – Ocean Area near Yonagunijima | M6.8 on April 20 | |
| – Ocean Area near Torishima | M5.9 on May 3, 2015 | |
| – Offshore Miyagi Prefecture | M6.8 on May 13, 2015 (Depth of approximately 45 km) |
|
| – Ocean Area near Amami Oshima | M5.1 on May 22 (Depth of approximately 20 km) |
|
| – Northern Saitama Prefecture | M5.5 on May 25, 2015 (Depth of approximately 55 km) |
|
| – Offshore West of Ogasawara Islands | M8.1 on May 30 (Depth of approximately 680 km) |
|
| – Abashiri Region | M5.0 on June 4, 2015 (At a very shallow depth) |
|
| – Northern Inland of Iwate Prefecture | M5.7 on July 10, 2015 (Depth of approximately 90 km) |
|
| – Southern Oita Prefecture | M5.7 on July 13, 2015 (Depth of approximately 60 km) |
|
| – Tokyo Bay | M5.2 on September 12, 2015 (Depth of approximately 55 km) |
|
| – Central Coast of Chile | Mw8.3 on September 17, 2015 | |
| – Offshore West of the Satsuma Peninsula | M7.1 on November 14, 2015 |
There is no supplementary information for Hokkaido region.
There is no supplementary information for Tohoku region.
– Within the aftershock area of the Tohoku-Oki Earthquake, the number
of earthquakes of M4.0 or over, during one year from March 2012 (March
2012 - February 2013) became less than one fifth, during one year from
March 2013 (March 2013 - February 2014) became less than one tenth, and
during one year from March 2014 (March 2014 - February 2015) became less
than one fifteenth, of the number during about one year just after the
Tohoku-Oki Earthquake, and thus the aftershock activity has been decaying.
According to the GNSS data, crustal deformation which is thought to be post-seismic deformation has still been observed in a wide area from the Tohoku through the Kanto-Chubu regions. During about one month just after the Tohoku-Oki Earthquake, at the maximum value, the horizontal movement was 30 cm, and the vertical subsidence and upheaval were 6 cm and 5 cm, respectively. Although both the horizontal and the vertical deformations were almost 1cm during the recent one month, the deformation has not yet returned to the state before the Tohoku-Oki Earthquake.
In case of the earthquake (Mw 9.1) offshore west of the northern Sumatra Island in 2004, there were Mw8.6 after four months, Mw8.5 after about two and a half years, Mw7.5 after about five and a half years, and Mw8.6 after about seven and a half years in the region of outer rise. Thus, there have been large earthquakes for long period within the source area and its surroundings.
Although the aftershock activity is gradually decaying as a whole, the activity is still in higher state than the one before the Tohoku-Oki Earthquake. In addition, there are overseas examples for gigantic earthquakes. Synthetically judging from these facts, within the aftershock area and its surroundings, there is fear that large earthquakes will occur from now on, and there is a possibility of strong shaking and high tsunami. It is necessary to pay attention continuously for it.
–"In the GNSS data for the Tokai region, there has been no change
of activity which is likely to be associated with the Tokai earthquake.":
(This evaluation is in agreement with the views presented at the regular
meeting on December 21 of the Assessment Committee for Areas under Intensified
Measures against Earthquake Disaster (reference below).)
(Reference)
Recent seismic and crustal activity in the Tokai region and its vicinity (Seismological and Volcanological Department, Japan Meteorological Agency, December 21, 2015)
"No change of activity which is likely to be associated with the Tokai earthquake has been observed until now. (Excerpted))"
–"On December 14, there was a M4.2 earthquake at a depth of approximately 10 km in central Tottori prefecture. (Excerpted)":
In the vicinity of the epicenter of this event, there is a sequence of
earthquakes, the maximum being a M4.3 one (maximum seismic intensity 4)
on October 15, 2015. There were 32 earthquakes with seismic intensity 1
or over until December 16.
– Non-stationary crustal deformation surrounding the Kii Channel observed from mid-2014 is still continuing. This deformation is thought to be due to a slow movement (slow-slip) at the boundary between the Philippine Sea and the continental plates.
– A seismic activity is observed in the crust of Kumamoto region, Kumamoto prefecture since the mid-November. There were 17 earthquakes with seismic intensity 1 or over occurred until December 30. The maximum is the M3.2 one which occurred on December 4 at a depth of approximately 5 km. The focal mechanism of the M3.1 earthquake on December 7 at 06:25 (JST) showed a normal fault type with a tension axis in an NNE-SSW direction.
–"On January 11, there was a M4.6 earthquake at a depth of approximately
10 km, in Sanpachi-Kamikita region, Aomori prefecture. (Excerpted)":
An aftershock activity such as 6 earthquakes with seismic intensity 1 or
over occurring until 12th in the vicinity of the event was observed.
Reference 1
Earthquakes that are described in the "Evaluation of Seismic Activity"
(Monthly Report of Seismic Activity in Japan) have the following
features.
Reference 2
Information that is described in the "Supplementary Information to the Evaluation" includes: