Exploring the Depths: Japan's Ambitious Drilling Mission to Unlock Earthquake Secrets

The Chiku project, launched in Nagasaki, aims to drill through the Earth's crust beneath the ocean to access the Moho, a region believed to be the source of plate movements. This could provide insights into earthquakes. The project includes footage from the 1994 Han Shin earthquake in Kobe. The Chiku will drill into a subduction zone, where one plate slides under another, a process thought to cause earthquakes. The drilling will start in 2006, with a plan to reach a depth of 7000 meters over two years.

What is the primary goal of the Chiku's drilling mission?

• To explore the ocean's surface

• To find oil reserves

• To study marine life

• To access the Moho region

What natural event is the Chiku's mission expected to provide insights into?

• Hurricanes

• Volcanic eruptions

• Earthquakes

• Tsunamis

In a subduction zone, what happens to the ocean crust?

• It floats on the surface

• It remains stationary

• It is pushed upwards

• It is dragged into the molten mantle

How deep will the Chiku drill into the Earth's crust?

• 7000 meters

• 5000 meters

• 6000 meters

• 4000 meters

When is the Chiku's drilling operation scheduled to begin?

• Early 2007

• Late 2006

• Early 2006

• Early 2005