Yosio is a geophysicist with special interests in terrestrial and extraterrestrial seismology and expertise in seismic instrumentation. He was among the pioneering researchers who, during and following the Apollo Lunar Landing project in the 1970s, used the extensive data collected by a network of seismic stations on the Moon to make the first direct seismic observations of an extraterrestrial object. This research in lunar seismology has led to an invaluable understanding of the dynamics and internal structure of the Moon. It also provides valuable information about tectonism not available on Earth due to the particularities of our planet’s size, composition, and stage of evolution. Under Nakamura’s direction, researchers at UTIG have developed a fleet of ocean-bottom seismograph (OBS) instruments in order to acquire high-quality seismic data in targeted marine geologic settings. With UTIG colleague Kirk McIntosh, he used a suite of these OBS instruments in a collaborative U.S.-Chinese project that involved the seismic imaging of Taiwan’s continent-collision zone. The collected data have permitted Nakamura and McIntosh to study the crustal-thickening processes that both precede and accompany the collision and to examine the triple junction along eastern Taiwan. More recently, with colleagues Jamie Austin and Ian Dalziel, he led a team of UTIG researchers onboard the U.S. icebreaker R/V Palmer to study the deep crustral structure of Bransfield Strait.
Currently Funded Research Projects
Correlation of Seismic Structure with Observed Outcrop Geology: MCS/OBS Investigation of Hess Deep and Blanco Transform
Deep Moonquakes on the Far Hemisphere of the Moon
Professional awards
The Antarctica Service Medal of the United States of America, presented by the National Science Foundation, 2002.
Yosio's UTIG Contributions (Publications)
Technical Reports on lunar data
Dr. Nakamura has several technical reports on lunar data that are available via ftp.
Nakamura, Y., G. V. Latham, H. J. Dorman, and J. E. Harris. Passive Seismic Experiment Long Period Event Catalog, Revised January 2004, 1969 Day 202 - 1977 Day 273, ALSEP Stations 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. GMGL, June 19, 1981. UTIG Technical Report No. 18.
Description of contents of UTIG Technical Report No. 18
Nakamura, Yosio. Catalog of Lunar Seismic Data from Apollo Passive Seismic Experiment on 8-mm Video Cassette (Exabyte) Tapes, June 1992. UTIG Technical Report No. 118. (RTF of UTIG Tech.
Report No. 118)
