Member

KATO, Aitaro Professor Earthquake Research Institute Office: -1-609 TEL: +81-3-5841-8252 FAX: -- E-mail: HP: http://www.eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp/people/akato
Research Field Earthquake source physics, Seismic observation Current Research I am very interested with a nucleation process of megathrust along plate interface. Based on a spatial temporal evolution of seismicity prior to major earthquakes (foreshock) including repeating earthquakes, which has been interpreted as creep meter on plate interface, I have recently revealed gradual unlocking of some portions hosting large earthquakes. In addition, I am working about a long-term behavior of low-frequency earthquakes located at down-dip extension of megathrust along Nankai Trough. These low-frequency earthquakes occur at a transition between fully locked and creeping portions on plate interface, so provide us important information about locking status therein. I have also great interest in driving mechanisms of immediate aftershocks as well as intensive seismic swarms, through seismicity analysis, revealing heterogeneities of stress field and seismic structures in the source regions. Representative Publications 1. Kato, A. & Y. Ben-Zion, The generation of large earthquakes, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 2, 26–39, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-020-00108-w, 2021. 2. Obara, K., and A. Kato, Connecting slow earthquakes to huge earthquakes, Science, 353(6296), 253-257, doi:10.1126/science.aaf1512, 2016. 3. Kato, A., K. Obara, T. Igarashi, H. Tsuruoka, S. Nakagawa and N. Hirata, Propagation of Slow Slip Leading Up to the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake, Science, 335, 705-708, doi: 10.1126/science.1215141, 2012.

KATO, Aitaro

Professor
Earthquake Research Institute

Office: -1-609
TEL: +81-3-5841-8252
FAX: --
E-mail:
HP: http://www.eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp/people/akato

Research Field

Earthquake source physics, Seismic observation

Current Research

I am very interested with a nucleation process of megathrust along plate interface. Based on a spatial temporal evolution of seismicity prior to major earthquakes (foreshock) including repeating earthquakes, which has been interpreted as creep meter on plate interface, I have recently revealed gradual unlocking of some portions hosting large earthquakes. In addition, I am working about a long-term behavior of low-frequency earthquakes located at down-dip extension of megathrust along Nankai Trough. These low-frequency earthquakes occur at a transition between fully locked and creeping portions on plate interface, so provide us important information about locking status therein. I have also great interest in driving mechanisms of immediate aftershocks as well as intensive seismic swarms, through seismicity analysis, revealing heterogeneities of stress field and seismic structures in the source regions.

Representative Publications

1. Kato, A. & Y. Ben-Zion, The generation of large earthquakes, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 2, 26–39, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-020-00108-w, 2021.
2. Obara, K., and A. Kato, Connecting slow earthquakes to huge earthquakes, Science, 353(6296), 253-257, doi:10.1126/science.aaf1512, 2016.
3. Kato, A., K. Obara, T. Igarashi, H. Tsuruoka, S. Nakagawa and N. Hirata, Propagation of Slow Slip Leading Up to the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake, Science, 335, 705-708, doi: 10.1126/science.1215141, 2012.