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 significant earthquake is mentioned in relation to the Chiku project?

What is the expected duration of the drilling process for the Chiku project?