A group including Professor Kazuo Nakahigashi of the Department of Marine Resources and Energy Sciences2023The research paper "Magma reservoir beneath the Aira Caldera revealed by artificial seismic exploration" published in 2013 won the Japan Society of Volcanology's Paper Award.

【Winner】
Professor Kazuo Nakahigashi (Marine Resources and Energy Division)

[Award-winning paper]
Solidified magma reservoir derived from active source seismic experiments in the Aira caldera, southern Kyushu, Japan.
Earth Planets Space, 75, 166, doi:10.1186/s40623-023-01919-z
Article link
https://earth-planets-space.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40623-023-01919-z

[Outline of Awards]
　This paper presents a detailed analysis of the current seismic velocity structure of the Aira Caldera using seismic exploration with an artificial seismic source, and is an important study that clarifies the underground structure of a caldera volcano that has a low frequency and high risk of eruptions. The obtained seismic velocity structure quantitatively discusses the structure of the caldera, the distribution of solidified and molten magma chambers, and their estimated volumes. The findings that the solidified magma chambers appear to have influenced the magma ascent flow paths in past eruptions and to be close to the expansion pressure source observed in the observations are particularly novel and interesting. This paper also obtained a detailed seismic reflection survey cross section of the Kagoshima Graben, and a preliminary report was made that this area is composed of the Shimanto Group at the basement and the overlying rift-buried deposits. Further detailed analysis and examination of this result in combination with geological research is expected to produce further results that will allow us to consider the caldera formation process.
　For these reasons, this paper is judged to be an outstanding contribution to volcanology.2024The paper was deemed worthy of the annual Japan Society of Volcanology Paper Award.

<Related links>
Best Paper Award, Japanese Society of Volcanology