(1)Research ship starts study on quake mechanism off Sumatra

(1)Research ship starts study on quake mechanism off Sumatra

TOKYO, Japan - An ocean-bottom seismometer is brought down into the sea off Sumatra Island, Indonesia, from Japan's deep-sea research ship Natsushima on Feb. 18. The 1,739-ton ship started research on underwater topography to study quake-causing mechanisms in waters near the epicenter of the Dec. 26 quake. (Pool photo)

Japanese research ship heads to Indonesia to study quake mechanism

Japanese research ship heads to Indonesia to study quake mechanism

KAGOSHIMA, Japan - The 1,739-ton Natsushima, a deep-sea research vessel of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, heads to Indonesia on Feb. 2 to conduct research on underwater topography to study earthquake-causing mechanisms. Researchers aboard the ship plan to conduct the research for about a month, from February to March, near the epicenter of the Dec. 26 earthquake off northern Sumatra, which triggered the deadly Asian tsunami.

Research ship detects cracks, slope collapse off Sumatra

Research ship detects cracks, slope collapse off Sumatra

TOKYO, Japan - This photo, taken by the remotely operated submersible Hyper-Dolphin deployed by Japan's 1,739-ton Natsushima deep-sea research ship on Feb. 22, shows cracks at the seabed at a depth of 2,184 meters off Sumatra Island, Indonesia. It is the first time a change in the topography of the seabed triggered by the Dec. 26 quake has been confirmed visually. The photo was provided by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. (Kyodo)

Japanese research ship heads to Indonesia to study quake mechani

Japanese research ship heads to Indonesia to study quake mechani

KAGOSHIMA, Japan - The 1,739-ton Natsushima, a deep-sea research vessel of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, heads to Indonesia on Feb. 2 to conduct research on underwater topography to study earthquake-causing mechanisms. Researchers aboard the ship plan to conduct the research for about a month, from February to March, near the epicenter of the Dec. 26 earthquake off northern Sumatra, which triggered the deadly Asian tsunami. (Kyodo)

(1)Research ship starts study on quake mechanism off Sumatra

(1)Research ship starts study on quake mechanism off Sumatra

TOKYO, Japan - An ocean-bottom seismometer is brought down into the sea off Sumatra Island, Indonesia, from Japan's deep-sea research ship Natsushima on Feb. 18. The 1,739-ton ship started research on underwater topography to study quake-causing mechanisms in waters near the epicenter of the Dec. 26 quake. (Pool photo)(Kyodo)