Active fault maps and their future, an inspiration from Professor Tokihiko Matsuda

Abstract

Professor Tokihiko Matsuda took an initiative in the compilation project of active faults map of Japan early 1970's, which eventually materialized as“Active Faults Map of Japan”in 1980. Mapping of active faults has significantly developed since then following scientific and technological progress in this research filed. In 2002,“Atlas of Quaternary Thrust Faults in Japan”and“Digital Active Faults Map of Japan”were published in the scale of 1: 25000. These maps provide us with detailed information regarding their location and characteristics of activities for basic data of other science fields and seismic disaster mitigation. It is, however, important to know that criteria as“active”for the active faults and aims for compilation of the maps vary each other as well as from previously published maps. Future active faults maps are expect e d to be GIS maps combining surface geomorphological and subsurface seismo-geological data, which enable us to better simulate future inland earthquakes.