Study on Seismotectonics in the Bhutan Himalayan District Toward Seismic Disaster Mitigation

Project Gist

Understanding of the seismotectonics in the Bhutan Himalayan region toward seismic hazard mitigation

Keywords

Bhutan Himalayan region, Seismotectonics, Seismic monitoring network, Seismic hazard mitigation

Background, Purpose, and Project Achievements

Bhutan Himalayan region is located in the collision zone between Eurasian and Indian plate that exhibits one of the most seismically active area in the world. We started the collaborative research in order to reveal the seismotectonics of this area by newly constructing seismic monitoring network with the Department of Geology and Mines, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan (DGM). We designed the observation network which is composed of short period high sensitivity, broad band, and strong motion seismometers with real-time telemetry system to the central office of DGM in Thimphu. We already transported all the required instruments to the Kingdom of Bhutan, and will start deployment of the observation network shortly. This network is the first National Seismic Monitoring Network of Bhutan, whose outcome will definitely contribute not only to the scientific interest but also to the mitigation of the seismic hazard of this country.

Future Prospects

Seismic monitoring network is one of the basic infrastructure for the seismic hazard mitigation to evaluate seismic activity in the target region. It is an urgent issue to start the operation of such network in Bhutan Himalayan region as soon as possible, where the seismic activity has been increasing since the beginning of the 21st century. We will transfer our know-how for the seismic monitoring observation to the Kingdom of Bhutan to contribute to the seismic hazard mitigation, together with the basic investigation of the seismotectonics of the Bhutan Himalayan region.

Figures

Principal Investigator