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Browse MARGINS-related awards in reverse chronological order after start date (most recent first):

A 3-D Seismic Investigation of the Sediment-to-Rock Transition and Its Relationship to Nankai Subduction Thrust Seismicity: U.S.-Japan Collaborative Program

MARGINS Focus Area SEIZE
NSF Org OCE
Latest Amendment Date August 13, 2002
Award Number 9730637
Award Instrument Standard Grant
Program Manager Bruce T. Malfait
OCE Division of Ocean Sciences
GEO Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date September 15, 1998
Expires December 31, 2004 (Estimated)
Expected Total Amount $1,157,491 (Estimated)
Investigator

Nathan Bangs (Principal Investigator)
Thomas Shipley (Co-PI)

Sponsor University of Texas at Austin
P.O Box 7726
Austin, TX 78713 512/471-6424
NSF Program(s) OCEAN MARGINS STUDIES,
OCEAN DRILLING PROGRAM
Field Application 0204000 Oceanography
Abstract This award will support a seismic reflection, refraction and passive seismicity program to study underthrusting of oceanic crust along the Nankai Trough off the east coast of Japan. The primary feature to be examined in this experiment is the subduction thrust fault from its aseismic zone in the Trough (trench) to a depth of at least 15 kilometers beneath the continental margin where the thrust is marked by significant seismic activity. The goal of the study is to examine changes in physical properties along the thrust as it changes from aseismic to seismic expression. Understanding this transition from compaction and aseismic slip to brittle failure is a major unknown in understanding lithospheric consumption and earthquake dynamics. This Nankai seismogenic zone marks the location of major destructive earthquakes along the Japanese margin. The project is a collaborative experiment. United State scientists will be responsible for acquiring and interpreting 3-dimensional seismic reflection data from the thrust fault and accreting margin. Japanese colleagues will be responsible for deploying ocean bottom seismometers for seismic refraction and passive seismicity studies. In addition t the basic scientific interpretation to be derived from the data, the experiment is critical to the development of the MARGINS initiative and will provide necessary site location data for future drilling by the international Ocean Drilling Program.