Diagenetic dynamics and signals within Earthquake-mobilised sediments (Japan Trench, IODP Expedition 386)

Seafloor deposits on the slope offshore Japan can become remobilised by large Earthquakes, and can then end up in the deep trench that is the ultimate site of deposition.

Therefore, studying the chemical composition of these Earthquake-related mud layers can eventually help to reconstruct the past dynamics and ferocity of Earthquakes in Japan over the last tens of thousands of years.

In addition, these trench sediments are highly efficient at burying carbon away from the atmosphere, and can therefore contribute significantly to storing CO2 fixed as biomass for vert long time periods, helping to balance the continuous addition of this greenhouse gas to the atmosphere by human activity.