Chronological outline
| Feb.1962 | The building for observation of earthquakes was built by the kindness of the Nagasaki prefecture and Shimabara city at the eastern foot of Mt.Mayuyama which is the landed property(present location) of Shimabara city. And it was lent gratuitously to Faculty of Science, Kyushu University. Temporary institution and the Shimabara Institute of Volcanology and Balneology were started, and Kyushu University installed the seismograph(The observing point of Shimabara)of high magnification, always started observation, and commissioned the private sector exchange of the recording form. |
| Mar.1965 | The research report of Shimabara Institute of Volcanology and Balneology was started. |
| Mar.1967 | The site and the building were inherited with pay from Shimabara city and Nagasaki prefecture. |
| Oct.1967 | By employment of one capacity(Research Associate of Faculty of Science, Kyushu University),the spot permanent residence attitude was taken and the observation of volcanic activity and research were started. |
| Apr.1971 | Institution installation is approved by No.13 of ordinance of the Ministry Education and Shimabara Volcano Observatory, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University was inaugurated. (Capacity: one assistant) |
| Mar.1972 | The laboratory was completed. |
| May.1973 | Capacity: Change into associate professor from this observatory's research associate. |
| Mar.1974 | The well for observation of hot spring was completed.(Depth 365m:This enclosure of the observatory) |
| Apr.1976 | Capacity: One associate professor, one research associate |
| Oct.1976 | The equipment for detecting volcanic gases by looking far was equipped.(For measurement of COSPEC and SO2) |
| Mar.1977 | In addition to the established observing point of Shimabara base, the observing points of Chijiwa and Obama were newly extended.(The telemetry system for observation of earthquakes by three points was equipped.) |
| Mar.1980 | The automatic continuation observation equipment(for measurement of a concentration ratio) of volcanic gases was equipped. |
| Apr.1980 | Seismology Group, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science was established. |
| Aug.1981 | The main building was completed. |
| Mar.1982 | The function of the established telemetry system for observation of earthquakes at three points was expanded.(The observing points of Chijiwa and Obama were formed into 3 constituents, the magnetic tape recorder was introduced, and equipment of the terminal equipment of the large-sized computer was carried out.) |
| Mar.1983 | The observing point of earthquakes was extended in Iimori.(The network of seismic stations was expanded to four points by the prediction plan of volcanic eruptions) |
| Apr.1984 | The name changed into Shimabara Earthquake and Volcano Observatory, Faculty of Science. Capacity: It changed into one professor (change of the associate professor of this observatory) and two associates for researches (one person increased in total). One technician has been stationed by the measure in the faculty of science. |
| Aug.1984 | Swarm earthquakes happened in the western part of the Shimabara peninsula.(Maximum M5.7, August 6) |
| Oct.1984 | Ion-Chromatography(equipment for analyzing hot spring)was equipped. |
| Mar.1985 | The observing point of earthquakes was extended in Tomioka.(Equipment for the wide area network of seismic stations by the prediction plan of earthquakes was started.) |
| Feb.1986 | The system (the underground water level, water temperature, for measurement of the ingredient of subterranean gas)which observes change of underground water was installed in the well for observing the hot spring of premises. |
| Mar.1986 | The observing points of earthquakes were extended in Omuta and the Kumamoto. |
| Mar.1987 | The observing points of earthquakes were extended in Nomozaki and Itsuki. The data processing equipment for observation of earthquakes was equipped.(The function was expanded in March, 1988.) |
| Mar.1988 | The main building(data-processing room)was extended. The data processing equipment for observation of change of underground water was equipped.(It was expanded in March, 1989.) The observing point of earthquakes was extended in Taio. |
| Mar.1989 | The observing point of earthquakes was extended in Sumoto. |
| Mar.1990 | The observing point of earthquakes was extended in Takeda. The equipment for analyzing the equipment (for measurement) for detecting volcanic gases by looking far and plasma luminescence spectrum was equipped. |
| May.1990 | The observation group of comprehensive movement was established newly.(One associate) |
| Nov.1990 | Mt.Fugen erupted. |
| Mar.1991 | The observing points of earthquakes were installed in Ushibuka and Nakatsu. The observing point of earthquakes was urgently installed in Chijiwa-cho mountain and Fukae. (The observing point of Fukae was buried by the pyroclastic flow in February, 1992.) |
| May 20.1991 | The lava dome appeared. |
| Jun 3.1991 | 43 persons died by the pyroclastic flow. |
| Jun.1991 | Many equipments were urgently equipped besides GPS, the tiltmeter, and the gravity meter. |
| Mar.1992 | The boa hole seismograph and the tiltmeter were installed on the outskirts, of the Unzen volcano at four observing points, respectively. The observing point of geomagnetism was newly installed in Kureishibaru. The automatic processing equipment of earthquake data was equipped. The observing point of earthquakes was installed in Saganoseki. |
| Apr.1992 | Two capacities(one associate professor , one technician)were reinforced in April,1992. |
| Dec.7.1992 | "Unzen Volcano began to erupt and two years passed. -Report from Kyushu University -(Sponsorship: Shimabara Earthquake and Volcano Observatory. Support: NHK Nagasaki broadcasting station, Nagasaki newspaper publishing company) was held in the Shimabara city culture hall. |
| Mar.1993 | The observing point of earthquakes was installed in Seburi. |
| Jun 23.1993 | One person died by the pyroclastic flow. |
| Mar.1994 | The observing point of earthquakes was installed in Hirado. |
| Nov.4.1994 | The dropping experiment of penetrator for observation of volcanic activities was performed. |
| Feb.1995 | Jet of the lava of Unzen Volcano stopped. |
| Jun.1995 | It was begun to exchange earthquake data of the observing points (Kagoshima University, University of Tokyo, Kochi University) which adjoins the observing point of Kyushu University. |
| Nov.30.1995 | The second structure inquiry of the volcano object was carried out in Unzen. |
| Dec.1995 | Achievements are esteemed highly and commendation was received from the country. |
| Mar.1996 | The observing points of earthquakes were installed in Kitakyushu, Fukue, and Saito. |
| Jun.1996 | The end of the eruption of Unzen Volcano was declared. |
| Aug.1996 | In connection with examination operation of the circulation system of earthquake data, the home page was established on the Internet. |
| Sep.1996 | Exchange of earthquake data was started between the Meteorological Agency and this observatory. |
| Nov.20.1996 | The 4th dropping experiment of penetrator for observation of volcanic activities was performed. |
| Feb.1997 | The telemetry system for observation of earthquakes by satellite communication was introduced. |
May 26- 29.1997 |
The Unzen international workshop(Decade Volcano and Scientific Drilling)was held in the Shimabara culture hall. |
| Apr 1.1999 | The affiliation of this observatory changed to "Graduate School of Sciences, Kyushu University" in connection with emphasis having been put on the graduate school of faculty of science. |
| Apr 1.2000 | Reorganized to "Institute of Seismology and Volcanology, Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University" in order to become a regional center of observational studies on earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Kyushu. |
| Apr 1.2001 | Equipped with 12 OBSs and started marine seismic observations. |
| Apr 1.2004 | Kyushu University became a National University Corporation. |
| Nov 11-19.2007 | Organized "Cities on Volcanoes 5 conference" in cooperation with Shimabara City and the Volcanological Society of Japan. |
