GREEN（Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment）

Methane is the main component of natural gas, and hydrate means hydrate. Methane hydrate is a cage-like structure formed by water molecules under the right conditions of temperature, pressure, and environment, and contains methane molecules. Methane hydrate can take in about 170 m³ of methane gas in 1 m³, but since it is a substance that can exist stably only at low temperatures and high pressures, it exists only on land in extremely cold frozen areas, and in the ocean in deep waters deeper than several hundred meters. It separates into water and methane under normal temperature and pressure. (JP)

Even if we do not generate any nuclear power in the future, we must dispose of the nuclear waste that produced the electricity we have used so far. To ensure safer disposal, research is being conducted to prevent contamination of groundwater. (JP)

In Japan, many social infrastructures were constructed during the high-growth period, and these infrastructures will be more than half a century old after 2020. In order to maintain and manage the rapidly increasing number of aging infrastructures, it is necessary to realize efficient preventive maintenance and to use long-life materials for infrastructure structures. In response to these issues, AIST has set "Development of innovative infrastructure health diagnosis technology and service life extension technology for a sustainable, safe, and secure society" as a research theme to solve social issues to be promoted intensively in the Fifth Medium- and Long-Term Objectives and Plans. This research theme is a project carried out as a member of the Infrastructure Diagnostic Technology Research. (JP)

Hydrological Environment Map is an earth science map* published by the Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). (JP)

The Basic Surface Soil Assessment Map provides information on the concentration distribution and risk levels of heavy metals in general environmental soils in our country.

The Shallow Geothermal and Hydrogeology Team of the Renewable Energy Research Center and the Groundwater Research Group of the Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment have created a "Potential Map for Ground-Source Heat Pump System" that visualizes the potential for geothermal heat utilization by comprehensively evaluating the geology and groundwater environment of the target area. (JP)

The Geothermal Resource Information Database (GRES-DB) is a database of information developed by the Geothermal Research Center of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).
The four main contents available to the public at this time are "hot spring analysis data", "geothermal drilling core image data", "well data from geothermal surveys in Japan", and "list of geothermal well attributes". (JP)

Please contact us here.

We have been developing, improving, and disseminating the Geo-Environmental Risk Assessment System (GERAS) to quantitatively assess various risks associated with soil and groundwater contamination by heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, and mineral oils, as well as landfill disposal of waste materials. We have been working on the development, improvement, dissemination, and promotion of GERAS.