An unmanned seaplane designed to detect imminent earthquakes has been developed by University of Tokyo researchers.
Megathrust earthquakes occur on faults found along the boundaries between tectonic plates. The Nankai Trough is a megathrust earthquake zone lying off the south-west coast of Japan, and experts estimate that this zone could generate a potentially devastating large earthquake (magnitude 8 or 9) within 30 years.
Added to the direct catastrophic impact of such a powerful quake, a seismic event of this magnitude could trigger cascading hazards such as destructive tsunamis.
Traditionally, seafloor measurements have been obtained using transponder stations located on the seafloor that communicate with satellites via buoys or ocean-going vessels to produce accurate positional information. However, data collection using such systems has problems such as low efficiency and speed.
The Tokyo researchers say their autonomous seaplane could aid in the collection of reliable, high-precision...