National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Publishes Rupture Probability Map of Major Active Faults in Japan.

Tokyo, Japan, Nov 18, 2005 - (JCNN) - The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) published a nation-wide map that uses colours to show the probability of activity in major active faults within the next thirty years.

The map is based on research done by AIST and other organizations on the history of active faults and serves to summarize the data into segments of activity. This data can be used to objectively assess the possibility of future activity in Japan's active faults.

In this map, the faults are divided into behavioral segments, allowing evaluations to be made based on the latest research. Mid range values were used to represent data that was given in ranges rather than specific figures, and empirical formulas were used to calculate values when data was not available for a particular fault. Because of this, it was possible to summarize the probability of future activity with a single, representative value for each segment.

AIST has made the data represented in this map available to the public through an online active fault database which will be updated regularly. In addition, they intend to transform the information in the database into GIS and include other kinds of geographic information.

See the map at www.aist.go.jp/aist_e/latest_research/2005/20051115_2/20051115_2.html

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