Sakurajima Volcanological Observatory (SVO) was founded in 1960, after the beginning of eruptive activity in 1955 at Minami-dake (South peak) crater, for the purpose of fundamental research for prediction of volcanic eruptions. SVO is made up of the main observatory, 3 branch observatories and more than 30 satellite stations. The main observatory is located 5.6 km west to the active crater. There, data are gathered from satellite stations by telemetering systems and analyzed with the help of computers. The branch observatories and satellite stations are arranged not only at Sakurajima land-tied island but also in caldera areas, those are Kakuto (40 km north to Sakurajima), Aira in which Sakurajima Volcano is, and Ata Caldera (50 km south to Sakurajima). Harutayama Branch is 2.8 km apart from the active crater. Kurokami Branch is the eastern base of seismic and geoelectric observation. Yoshimatsu Branch is established for monitoring seismic activity in Kakuto Caldera.
There are several active volcanoes (Kuchierabujima, Nakanosima, and Suwanosejima) in Ryukyu Islands that are monitored by SVO.
Sakurajima is monitored by the Sakurajima Volcanological Observatory at Kyoto University.
For details about the monitoring equipment of SVO and how it is deployed visit the WOVO Directory.
Sakurajima is a Decade Volcano under a project which began as part of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR).
Contact information:
Sakurajima Volcanological Observatory Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University Sakurajima-cho, Kagoshima-ken 891-14 Japan Telephone: (81) 992-93-2058 Telefax: (81) 992-93-4024 Director: Prof. Kosuke Kamo
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