Short-time Seismic Swarm Activity in the Wakamiko Caldera in August, 2020

Abstract

We carried out a temporary seismic observation using 4 ocean bottom seismographs in and around the Aira caldera to obtain the precise hypocenter distribution, especially in the Wakamiko caldera. During the observation period from July to September 2020, we observed two short-time seismic swarms that occurred inside the Wakamiko caldera and revealed the precise distribution of these hypocenters and the focal mechanism solution. In contrast to our results, the JMA unified hypocenters of the two swarms are widely distributed in the western region outside the Wakamiko caldera. This difference in the hypocenter distributions insists that the seismic observation in the sea area around the Wakamiko caldera is required to reveal the precise seismic activity in the caldera.