Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences
Title : | Understanding the mechanism of Tsunamigenic mega-earthquake of the Sumatra subduction zone- A microstructural investigation |
Area of research : | Earth, Atmosphere & Environment Sciences |
Focus area : | Seismology, Geodynamics |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Sivaji Lahiri, CSIR- Central Institute Of Mining And Fuel Research, Jharkhand |
Timeline Start Year : | 2023 |
Timeline End Year : | 2025 |
Contact info : | sivaji.lahiri2@gmail.com |
Details
Executive Summary : | Earthquakes pose a challenge to prediction but are crucial for risk mitigation in modern society. Geologic factors can potentially control the development of earthquakes and tsunamis, as demonstrated by the 2004 Sumatra earthquake. To understand the mechanism behind these events, researchers conducted an International Deep-Sea Drilling expedition (362) to collect samples from Bengal Nicobar Fan sequence and sediments down to the Indian Ocean basaltic crust. However, few studies have been conducted to understand the mechanisms behind the development of massive earthquakes and tsunamis at the Sumatra subduction zone. Dean et al. (2010) identified a HANP reflector within subducting sedimentary units at 1300-1400mbsf depth, which was interpreted as a highly porous fluid-rich weak layer. Hupers et al. (2017) suggested that the shallow slip offshore Sumatra earthquake was developed due to an increase in strength of subducting sediments due to quartz precipitation by diagenetic reactions. This rapid increase in strength causes strain energy accumulation and promotes unstable sliding rheology, leading to the massive earthquake at the Sumatra subduction zone.
This study aims to address this problem by pursuing microstructural investigation of Sumatra subducting sedimentary litho units. The researchers have already contacted IODP and received 62 tube samples from the IODP repository in Japan, which were expanded over a depth range of sea floor to 1500mbsf. This study will improve knowledge of mega-earthquake mechanisms and help mitigate future earthquake disasters for society. |
Total Budget (INR): | 27,64,040 |
Organizations involved