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Laser altimetry of the Moon is now under investigation as a part of the RISE project in the Moon-Orbiting exploration (SELENE; SELenological and ENgineering Explorer) by Japan in 2002–2003. Main objective of this measurement is to construct a precise and global topography of the moon with the 5m vertical resolution and with a center-to-center along-track footprint spacing of 330m. The topography will be a great contribution for addressing several problems of lunar geology and geophysics such as morphological dichotomy, internal structure, isostatic state, and various surface modification processes of the moon.

Using Total Electron Content (TEC) measurements with Global Positioning System we studied ionospheric responses to three large earthquakes that occurred in the Kuril Arc on 04 October 1994, 15 November 2006, and 13 January 2007. These earthquakes have different focal mechanisms, i.e. high-angle reverse, low-angle reverse, and normal faulting, respectively. TEC responses to the 2006 and 2007 events initiated with positive and negative changes, respectively. On the other hand, the initial TEC changes in the 1994 earthquake showed both positive and negative polarities depending on the azimuth around the focal area. Such a variety may reflect differences in coseismic vertical crustal displacements, which are dominated by uplift and subsidence in the 2006 and 2007 events, respectively, but included both in the 1994 event.