The islands of Japan were separated from mainland Asia by back-arc spreading.
Japan was originally attached to the eastern coast of the Eurasian continent. The subducting plates, being deeper than the Eurasian plate, pulled Japan eastward in the process of back-arc extension, opening the Sea of Japan around 15 million years ago.[1] The Strait of Tartary and the Korea Strait opened much later.
Japanese archipelago relief (including submerged parts)
The breakup of Rodinia about 750 million years ago formed the Panthalassa ocean, with rocks that eventually became Japan sitting on its eastern margin.[2] In the Early Silurian (450 million years ago),[3] the subduction of the oceanic plates started, and this process continues to the present day, forming a roughly 400 km wide orogeny at the convergent boundary. Several (9 or 10) oceanic plates were completely subducted and their remains have formed paired metamorphic belts. The most recent complete subduction of a plate was that of the Izanagi Plate 95 million years ago. Currently the Philippine Sea Plate is subducting beneath the continental Amurian Plate and the Okinawa Plate to the south at a speed of 4 cm/year, forming the Nankai Trough and the Ryukyu Trench. The Pacific Plate is subducting under the Okhotsk Plate to the north at a speed of 10 cm/year. The early stages of subduction-accretion have recycled the continental crust margin several times, leaving the majority of the modern Japanese archipelago composed of rocks formed in the Permian period or later.
Island arc phaseedit
Around 23 million years ago, western Japan was a coastal region of the Eurasia continent. The subducting plates, being deeper than the Eurasian plate, pulled parts of Japan which become modern Chūgoku region and Kyushu eastward, opening the Sea of Japan (simultaneously with the Sea of Okhotsk) around 15-20 million years ago, with likely freshwater lake state before the sea has rushed in.[4] Around 16 million years ago, in the Miocene period, a peninsula attached to the eastern coast of the Eurasian continent was well formed. About 11 million years before present, the parts of Japan which become modern Tōhoku and Hokkaido were gradually uplifted from the seafloor, and terranes of Chūbu region were gradually accreted from the colliding island chains. The Strait of Tartary and the Korea Strait opened much later, about 2 million years ago. At the same time, a severe subduction of Fossa Magna graben have formed the Kantō Plain.[5]
Changes of land-forms of Japan over time
Japanese archipelago, Sea of Japan and surrounding part of continental East Asia in Early Miocene (23-18 Ma)
Japanese archipelago, Sea of Japan and surrounding part of continental East Asia in Middle Pliocene to Late Pliocene (3.5-2 Ma)
Japanese archipelago at the Last Glacial Maximum about 20,000 years ago, thin black line indicates present-day shorelines
Vegetated land
Unvegetated land
Ocean
Current stateedit
General informationedit
Overall, the geological composition of Japan is poorly understood. The Japanese islands are formed of several geological units parallel to the subduction front. The parts of islands facing oceanic plates are typically younger and display a larger proportion of volcanic products, while the parts facing the Sea of Japan are mostly heavily faulted and folded sedimentary deposits. In north-west Japan, the thick quaternary deposits make determination of the geological history especially difficult.[6]
Geological structureedit
The Japanese islands are divided into three major geological domains:
Northeastern Japan, north of Tanakura fault [ja] (which had high volcanic activity 14-17 million years before present[7])
The Geology of Japan is handled mostly by Geological Society of Japan [ja], with the following major periodicals:
The Journal of the Geological Society of Japan [ja] - since 1893
Geological Studies (地質学論集) - since 1968
Geological Society of Japan News (日本地質学会News) - since 1998
Geological hazardsedit
Japan is in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Frequent low intensity earth tremors and occasional volcanic activity are felt throughout the islands. Destructive earthquakes, often resulting in tsunamis, occur several times a century. The most recent major quakes include the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the 2004 Chūetsu earthquake and the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995.
^Barnes, Gina L. (2003). (PDF). University of Durham. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 28, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
^Wakita, Koji (2013-08-10). "Geology and tectonics of Japanese islands: A review – The key to understanding the geology of Asia". Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. Geological Evolution of Asia. 72: 75–87. doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2012.04.014. ISSN 1367-9120.
^Bor-ming Jahn (2010). (PDF). American Journal of Science. American Journal of Science, Vol. 310, December, 2010, P. 1210–1249, DOI 10.2475/10.2010.02. 310 (10): 1210–1249. Bibcode:2010AmJS..310.1210J. doi:10.2475/10.2010.02. S2CID 129989718. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 9, 2017. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
^Barnes, Gina L. (2003). (PDF). University of Durham. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 28, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
^. glgarcs.rgr.jp. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
^"Geology of Japan｜Geological Survey of Japan, AIST｜産総研地質調査総合センター / Geological Survey of Japan, AIST". gsj.jp. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
^"Yurie SAWAHATA, Makoto Okada, Jun Hosoi, Kazuo Amano, "Paleomagnetic study of Neogene sediments in strike-slip basins along the Tanakura Fault". confit.atlas.jp. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
^connelly@geo.arizona.edu. . geo.arizona.edu. Archived from the original on October 10, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
^A. Taira, H. Okada, J. H. McD. Whitaker & A. J. Smith, The Shimanto Belt of Japan: Cretaceous-lower Miocene active-margin sedimentation
^"Sanbagawa belt (Sambagawa metamorphic belt), Shikoku Island, Japan". mindat.org. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
^. geo.arizona.edu. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
Further readingedit
Hashimoto, M., ed. (1990). Geology of Japan. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers. ISBN9780792309093.
T. Moreno; S.R. Wallis; T. Kojima; W. Gibbons, eds. (16 March 2016). Geology of Japan (Geological Society of London)(2015). ISBN978-1862397439.
by - (Author),
Takai, Fuyuji; Tatsurō Matsumoto; Ryūzō Toriyama (1963). Geology of Japan. University of California Press.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Geology of Japan.
Geological Survey of Japan – English homepage
Geological Journal of Japan – English homepage
External image
Statistical map of location, size and depth of earthquakes near Japan
geology, japan, islands, japan, primarily, result, several, large, ocean, movements, occurring, over, hundreds, millions, years, from, silurian, pleistocene, result, subduction, philippine, plate, beneath, continental, amurian, plate, okinawa, plate, south, su. The islands of Japan are primarily the result of several large ocean movements occurring over hundreds of millions of years from the mid Silurian to the Pleistocene as a result of the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate beneath the continental Amurian Plate and Okinawa Plate to the south and subduction of the Pacific Plate under the Okhotsk Plate to the north The islands of Japan were separated from mainland Asia by back arc spreading Japan was originally attached to the eastern coast of the Eurasian continent The subducting plates being deeper than the Eurasian plate pulled Japan eastward in the process of back arc extension opening the Sea of Japan around 15 million years ago 1 The Strait of Tartary and the Korea Strait opened much later Japan is situated in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire Frequent low intensity earth tremors and occasional volcanic activity are felt throughout the islands Destructive earthquakes often resulting in tsunamis occur several times per century The most recent major quakes include the 2024 Ishikawa earthquake and tsunami the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami the 2004 Chuetsu earthquake and the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995 The geological features and bedrock composition of the Japanese main islandsContents 1 Geological history 1 1 Orogeny phase 1 2 Island arc phase 1 3 Current state 1 3 1 General information 1 3 2 Geological structure 2 Research 3 Geological hazards 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksGeological history editOrogeny phase edit nbsp Japanese archipelago relief including submerged parts The breakup of Rodinia about 750 million years ago formed the Panthalassa ocean with rocks that eventually became Japan sitting on its eastern margin 2 In the Early Silurian 450 million years ago 3 the subduction of the oceanic plates started and this process continues to the present day forming a roughly 400 km wide orogeny at the convergent boundary Several 9 or 10 oceanic plates were completely subducted and their remains have formed paired metamorphic belts The most recent complete subduction of a plate was that of the Izanagi Plate 95 million years ago Currently the Philippine Sea Plate is subducting beneath the continental Amurian Plate and the Okinawa Plate to the south at a speed of 4 cm year forming the Nankai Trough and the Ryukyu Trench The Pacific Plate is subducting under the Okhotsk Plate to the north at a speed of 10 cm year The early stages of subduction accretion have recycled the continental crust margin several times leaving the majority of the modern Japanese archipelago composed of rocks formed in the Permian period or later Island arc phase edit Around 23 million years ago western Japan was a coastal region of the Eurasia continent The subducting plates being deeper than the Eurasian plate pulled parts of Japan which become modern Chugoku region and Kyushu eastward opening the Sea of Japan simultaneously with the Sea of Okhotsk around 15 20 million years ago with likely freshwater lake state before the sea has rushed in 4 Around 16 million years ago in the Miocene period a peninsula attached to the eastern coast of the Eurasian continent was well formed About 11 million years before present the parts of Japan which become modern Tōhoku and Hokkaido were gradually uplifted from the seafloor and terranes of Chubu region were gradually accreted from the colliding island chains The Strait of Tartary and the Korea Strait opened much later about 2 million years ago At the same time a severe subduction of Fossa Magna graben have formed the Kantō Plain 5 Changes of land forms of Japan over time nbsp Japanese archipelago Sea of Japan and surrounding part of continental East Asia in Early Miocene 23 18 Ma nbsp Japanese archipelago Sea of Japan and surrounding part of continental East Asia in Middle Pliocene to Late Pliocene 3 5 2 Ma nbsp Japanese archipelago at the Last Glacial Maximum about 20 000 years ago thin black line indicates present day shorelines Vegetated land Unvegetated land Ocean Current state edit General information edit Overall the geological composition of Japan is poorly understood The Japanese islands are formed of several geological units parallel to the subduction front The parts of islands facing oceanic plates are typically younger and display a larger proportion of volcanic products while the parts facing the Sea of Japan are mostly heavily faulted and folded sedimentary deposits In north west Japan the thick quaternary deposits make determination of the geological history especially difficult 6 Geological structure edit The Japanese islands are divided into three major geological domains Northeastern Japan north of Tanakura fault ja which had high volcanic activity 14 17 million years before present 7 Idosawa Fault Senya Fault Hidaka Mountains Kitakami Mountains Ōu Mountains Central Japan between Tanakura fault and Itoigawa Shizuoka Tectonic Line Fossa Magna graben Tanna Fault Bōsō Hill Range Southwestern Japan south of Itoigawa Shizuoka Tectonic Line The Southwestern Japan is further subdivided into several metamorphic belts stretched along Japan Median Tectonic Line 8 The parts of Japan north of Japan Median Tectonic Line Inner Zone contains many granitoid fragments dating from Paleogene to Cretaceous period intruding the older material while south of the line Outer Zone is mostly accretionary complexes of Jurassic period or younger Urasoko fault Fukozu Fault Neodani Fault Nojima Fault Hida orogenic belt Hida Mountains and Ryōhaku Mountains Sangun orogenic belt Maizuru orogenic belt Tanba mino orogenic belt Ryoke orogenic belt Shimanto orogenic belt 9 Sambagawa orogenic belt 10 Chichibu orogenic belt 11 Sambosan orogenic belt Beppu Shimabara grabenResearch editThe Geology of Japan is handled mostly by Geological Society of Japan ja with the following major periodicals The Journal of the Geological Society of Japan ja since 1893 Geological Studies 地質学論集 since 1968 Geological Society of Japan News 日本地質学会News since 1998Geological hazards editJapan is in a volcanic zone on the Pacific Ring of Fire Frequent low intensity earth tremors and occasional volcanic activity are felt throughout the islands Destructive earthquakes often resulting in tsunamis occur several times a century The most recent major quakes include the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami the 2004 Chuetsu earthquake and the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995 See also editGeography of Japan Seismicity in Japan List of earthquakes in Japan List of volcanoes in Japan List of mines in JapanReferences edit Barnes Gina L 2003 Origins of the Japanese Islands The New Big Picture PDF University of Durham Archived from the original PDF on April 28 2011 Retrieved August 11 2009 Wakita Koji 2013 08 10 Geology and tectonics of Japanese islands A review The key to understanding the geology of Asia Journal of Asian Earth Sciences Geological Evolution of Asia 72 75 87 doi 10 1016 j jseaes 2012 04 014 ISSN 1367 9120 Bor ming Jahn 2010 ACCRETIONARY OROGEN AND EVOLUTION OF THE JAPANESE ISLANDS IMPLICATIONS FROM A Sr Nd ISOTOPIC STUDY OF THE PHANEROZOIC GRANITOIDS FROM SW JAPAN PDF American Journal of Science American Journal of Science Vol 310 December 2010 P 1210 1249 DOI 10 2475 10 2010 02 310 10 1210 1249 Bibcode 2010AmJS 310 1210J doi 10 2475 10 2010 02 S2CID 129989718 Archived from the original PDF on August 9 2017 Retrieved October 10 2017 Barnes Gina L 2003 Origins of the Japanese Islands The New Big Picture PDF University of Durham Archived from the original PDF on April 28 2011 Retrieved August 11 2009 Formation history of the Japanese Islands 4 GLGArcs glgarcs rgr jp Archived from the original on December 1 2017 Retrieved July 16 2017 Geology of Japan Geological Survey of Japan AIST 産総研地質調査総合センター Geological Survey of Japan AIST gsj jp Retrieved July 16 2017 Yurie SAWAHATA Makoto Okada Jun Hosoi Kazuo Amano Paleomagnetic study of Neogene sediments in strike slip basins along the Tanakura Fault confit atlas jp Retrieved July 16 2017 connelly geo arizona edu Southwest Japan geo arizona edu Archived from the original on October 10 2017 Retrieved July 16 2017 A Taira H Okada J H McD Whitaker amp A J Smith The Shimanto Belt of Japan Cretaceous lower Miocene active margin sedimentation Sanbagawa belt Sambagawa metamorphic belt Shikoku Island Japan mindat org Retrieved July 16 2017 Chichibu belt from geo arizona edu geo arizona edu Archived from the original on December 5 2017 Retrieved July 16 2017 Further reading editHashimoto M ed 1990 Geology of Japan Dordrecht Kluwer Academic Publishers ISBN 9780792309093 T Moreno S R Wallis T Kojima W Gibbons eds 16 March 2016 Geology of Japan Geological Society of London 2015 ISBN 978 1862397439 by Author Takai Fuyuji Tatsurō Matsumoto Ryuzō Toriyama 1963 Geology of Japan University of California Press External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Geology of Japan Geological Survey of Japan English homepage Geological Journal of Japan English homepageExternal image nbsp Statistical map of location size and depth of earthquakes near JapanNational Archives of Japan Tatoroyama no ki survey of limestone cave in Mount Tatoro in Kozuke Province 1837 Tenpo 8 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Geology of Japan amp oldid 1205506493, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
