Volcanoes that stop massive earthquakes occur in Japan

The interaction between the two geological phenomena caused the magnitude 7.1 earthquake to occur in Kumamoto city, Japan stopped.

The researchers concluded that Aso volcano , one of Japan's most active volcanoes, has helped stop a major earthquake, in a study published in the journal Science on October 20, according to Live Science.

The magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Kumamoto, Japan on April 16 this year created a fault in the area that lasted 40km. Scientists then went to the epicenter to study the fracture.

Aso volcano helps prevent major earthquakes from happening in Kumamoto, Japan.(Photo: NASA Earth Observatory).

They found a new fault extending from the southwest to the northeast edge and abruptly stopped at the crater of Aso. Study seismic activity deep below the crater, where the fracture stops, indicating that there is a lava chamber there.

"S energy from the earthquake moves towards the volcano Aso through the cold and fragile rocks. However, it unexpectedly encounters a great heat generated by the flow of magma rising below the volcano. The heat source disperses energy upwards and escapes, reducing the power of earthquakes and stopping the fault , "the study wrote.

This finding provides scientists with a rare case, when two phenomena of volcanic geology and earthquakes interact with each other. This is an issue of particular concern in Japan, a country prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Location of Aso volcano in southern Japan.(Graphic: Worldtravel).

"We are studying the interaction between active fractures, including geological fault, with major earthquakes in Japan," Aiming Lin, professor of Earth and Planet Science. , Kyoto University, Japan, said.

The finding could also help researchers more accurately predict the duration of an earthquake based on its interaction with volcanoes.

"The magma line can prevent the fracture, thereby limiting the scale of the earthquake in a predictable direction , " said Gregory Beroza, seismologist, deputy director of the Southern California Earthquake Center. Professor of geophysics at Stanford University, USA, said.