Possibility of a huge-earthquake prediction by radon measurement in submarine seismogenic area

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24654147
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Solid earth and planetary physics
• Research Institution: Okayama University of Science
• Principal Investigator: NINAGAWA Kiyotaka 岡山理科大学, 理学部, 教授 (80098590)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKAGAWA Masuo 岡山理科大学, 理学部, 教授 (70148683) ; TOYODA Shin 岡山理科大学, 理学部, 教授 (40207650)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KUMAGAI Hidenori 海洋研究開発機構, 海底資源研究開発センター, グループリーダー代理 (10344285) ; KINOSHITA Masataka 海洋研究開発機構, 高知コア研究所, 所長 (50225009)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 地震予知 / 海底 / 放射線 / ラドン / 長期変動 / NaI / ガンマ線計測装置

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A low power consumption type gamma-ray spectra recording apparatus for deep seas was developed, and this time a gamma-ray spectroscopy equipment (NaI) equipped with this apparatus was installed at a cool spring point of submarine 2600m in the offing of the Kumano-nada Sea. After 3.5 months we recovered this equipment safely, and confirm the operation of gamma-ray spectral measurement. There were no large changes in the conversion U content (the radon density) for 3.5 months at this cool spring point of submarine 2600m in the offing of the Kumano-nada Sea. There was no direct correlation between earthquakes and the radon density. However we used low cost alkaline batteries, then more long-term submarine gamma-ray spectra measurements are possible. We can expect to measure long-term gamma-ray spectral measurement at the various locations of submarine in future.

Free Research Field

放射線計測