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Takemura Lab (Research Center for Monitoring the Japanese Islands)
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The lab explores earthquake phenomena in subduction zones through seismic wave analysis and simulation.
AboutAbout the lab
Decoding earthquakes through waveform analysis and computation.
The Takemura Lab studies earthquake phenomena in subduction zones using seismic waveform analysis and simulations of seismic wave propagation.
Seismic waves released from an earthquake source travel through complex subsurface structure before reaching observation stations.
After clarifying how the waves propagate, the lab also develops methods that estimate the source characteristics of events such as slow earthquakes with high accuracy and efficiently monitor earthquake phenomena.
The lab also conducts research to understand seismic activity in areas with few earthquake observations, such as around submarine volcanoes and islands.
Key terms
- Slow earthquake
- A phenomenon in which a fault slips more slowly than in an ordinary earthquake. The shaking is weak and is often not felt by people.
- Accretionary prism
- A layer of rock formed when, as an oceanic plate subducts, seafloor sediments are scraped off and piled up on the landward side.
- MOWLAS
- An integrated network of land and ocean observation systems for earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, operated by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED).
NewsLab news
Book on seismic wave propagation simulation published
Associate Professor Takemura's paper published in Geophysical Research Letters
Co-authored paper published in Nature Communications
Co-authored paper published in Geophysical Research Letters
Associate Professor Takemura's paper published in the journal Zisin (Journal of the Seismological Society of Japan)
ResearchResearch themes
By combining seismic waveforms recorded by observation networks such as MOWLAS with the results of seismic wave propagation simulations, the lab aims to elucidate how seismic waves propagate across the Japanese archipelago, the subsurface structure responsible for this, and how earthquakes occur. Rather than going out to conduct its own observations, the lab carefully and comprehensively analyzes continuous waveforms from permanent observation stations.
*Illustrative imageFine-Scale Subsurface Structure and High-Frequency Shaking
The lab simulates ground motion using models that incorporate fine-scale heterogeneous structure within the crust, and estimates subsurface structure by comparing the results with observations. It also investigates how high-frequency shaking spreads through scattering by fine-scale subsurface structure.
*Illustrative imageEarthquakes Far Offshore and Around Islands
The lab studies earthquakes occurring around submarine volcanoes and islands far from Honshu by analyzing seismic waves that travel through the ocean as sound waves (T-phases) and high-frequency seismic waves, and by running simulations that incorporate seafloor topography.
*Illustrative imageEvaluating Slow Earthquake Activity
The lab studies slow earthquakes occurring in the shallow part of the Nankai Trough using ocean-bottom seismometer records and analyses that account for 3D subsurface structure. It has revealed characteristics of how tremor releases energy, as well as the relationship between subducting seamounts and slow earthquakes.
*Illustrative imageHow Sedimentary Basins and Accretionary Prisms Affect Shaking
The lab examines how earthquake shaking propagates in regions with thick layers where seismic waves travel slowly, such as sedimentary basins like the Kanto Plain and the accretionary prism of the Nankai Trough. By comparing ocean-bottom seismometer observations with simulations, this work also feeds into research on accurately estimating the sources of offshore earthquakes.
MembersFaculty
- Associate ProfessorShunsuke TakemuraPublications ↗
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Global Seismic Wave Propagation Simulation” Greg Abram / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Fine-Scale Subsurface Structure and High-Frequency Shaking: “Seismic Wave Arrival Animation” Carie Frantz / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Earthquakes Far Offshore and Around Islands: “Sofugan” Ka23 13 / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Evaluating Slow Earthquake Activity: “Nankai trough topographic” Peka / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- How Sedimentary Basins and Accretionary Prisms Affect Shaking: “Kanto Plain” archive 2025 ark / CC0 (cropped)
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