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Abstract
Ocean bottom bases (OBBs) have been installed on both sides of the axis of the Sagami Trough east of the Izu Peninsula, central Japan, as the first step toward long‐term geodetic and geophysical observations at the plate boundary (subduction zone). The OBB is a platform for seafloor measurements; otherwise it is difficult to find an appropriate place for precise seafloor measurements in the subduction zones. It is made of a nonmagnetic concrete block of size 1100 × 1100 × 500 mm. It was lowered from a ship using a winch wire and installed on a predetermined place with its position being monitored by an acoustic transponder system and a 30‐kHz bottom pinger with an accuracy of about 2 m.
It was confirmed later during the divings on board the submersible Shinkai 2000 that the OBB was installed on a flat mud bottom in normal condition. No change has been recognized in the installation condition in 3 years; the OBB is stable enough to be used for acoustic range measurements on the seafloor as well as for several geophysical measurements.
The resolution of seafloor range measurement can be improved by two orders by using phase measurement techniques with the aid of pulse compression. Precise acoustic range measurement of the order of 10−5 is feasible under the following conditions: two‐way measurements between the two OBBs installed on the slope facing each other with angles larger than 1.5°. Correction is necessary for the effect of long‐term temperature variation.