NEPTUNE Canada

Subduction zones like the one along the eastern edge of the Juan de Fuca plate generate some of the world's largest earthquakes, often associated with devastating tsunamis. NEPTUNE Canada's array of sensitive instruments will augment other land-based seismic networks in Canada and the U.S., helping researchers better understand subduction processes and improve their estimates of seismic risk.

Along the western edge of the Juan de Fuca plate, new seafloor is created through plate boundary spreading and volcanic activity. NEPTUNE Canada will install seismometers on the Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge to help pinpoint the many earthquakes that shake that region every year. Closely related phenomena like hot fluid venting and volcanic eruptions will also be studied in conjunction.

In addition, NEPTUNE Canada will install an extensive array of high-precision bottom pressure sensors, which can detect tsunamis from local or distant sources. This array will help researchers refine their understanding of how tsunamis move through both deep ocean and coastal areas.