Volcano Expedition to Japan:

The Ins and Outs of how Earth Works

Welcome to our web expedition to the Izu islands of Japan!

Following on from their work last year in the Mariana islands (see http://scripps.ucsd.edu/marianas), a team of researchers are continuing their studies on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean by targeting the Izu section of the IBM (Izu-Bonin-Mariana) island arc system. Funded by the National Science Foundation's MARGINS initiative, the team is trying to answer some of the most challenging questions in plate tectonics. They seek a better understanding of subduction zones - where material is routed from Earth's surface to its interior. What they find may also reveal how the atmosphere that sustains life on Earth was created and how it continues to evolve. This web site will take you to seven volcanic islands in the Izu chain plus the on-land volcanoes of Hakone and Mount Fuji, offering a guided tour through photos, video and day-by-day accounts of activities, adventures and discoveries. Along the way, get to know a little of the history and culture of the "Izu Seven" islands as they are known to the Japanese. The team will also lead you to magnificent Mount Fuji, Japan's highest mountain and a picture-perfect volcano cone.