Observation Results of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite "Daichi" (ALOS) relating to 2007 Niigata-ken Chuetsu Offshore Earthquake

A huge earthquake occurred off Jyo-chuetsu, Niigata Prefecture (60 kilometers south-west of the city of Niigata), at about a depth of 17 kilometers at 10:13 a.m. on July 16, 2007 Japan Standard Time (All the following dates and times in this release are Japan Standard Time.) The earthquake was named the "2007 Niigata-ken Chuetsu Offshore Earthquake." The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) analyzed observation images acquired by the Advanced Land Observing Satellite "Daichi" (ALOS) on July 19 and confirmed the pattern of diastrophism.

[Figure 1] shows diastrophism by processing the image data [Figure 2] taken by one of the Daichi onboard sensors, the PALSAR*1, at 10:13 a.m. on July 19, 2007, and one also taken by the PALSAR on January 16, 2007 using the differential interferometric method*2. The change in the distance between the Daichi and the Earth in about six months between Jan. 16 and July 19 is indicated by the two-dimensional colors in the image. We observed that the distance has been got closer (shrunk) by about 30 centimeters (maximum) in the land area at the immediate east of the epicenter. This means diastrophism, including a rise, took place there. Further south from that area, the distance between the Daichi and the land got further (longer) by about 15 cm. This indicates diastrophism, including a subsidence, occurred there.


Figure 1: Diastrophism in Chuetsu Region, Niigata

Figure 1: Diastrophism in Chuetsu Region, Niigata
(Click to View Enlarged Image)


How to Look at Diastrophism Image

How to Look at Diastrophism Image
(Click to View Enlarged Image)


Figure 2: Image of Chuetsu Region, Nigata, Observed by the PALSAR on July 19, 2007

Figure 2: Image of Chuetsu Region, Nigata, Observed by the PALSAR on July 19, 2007
(Click to View Enlarged Image)

©JAXA EORC

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