Prof.  Masaji  Watanabe
Okayama University,  Japan

Title: Measurement and computational aspect of topographic study over water area

Abstract:

Recent heavy rain disasters brought tremendous human damages and material damages. One speculates that disastrous heavy rain events may take place more frequently and more devastatingly, and so the preventive maintenance of land water areas such as rivers, reservoirs, and coastal areas as well as measurement and analysis for the topography of those water areas are necessary. This study focuses on development and application of techniques for investigation of the underwater topography over water areas. Positional data recorded by a GNSS receiver are combined with depth data recorded by an echo sounder to yield three-dimensional underwater topographic data. Approximating techniques are applied to continuous functions defined on triangular meshes to yield surfaces that represent an underwater topography over a water area.

Biography:

Masaji Watanabe, Emeritus Professor, Specially Appointed Professor, Okayama University, is active in research areas of applied mathematics, and his recent research topics include studies of mathematical techniques for the topography of water areas. His recent activities include joint studies on measurement and computational analysis of underwater topography with Mr. Satoshi Iwakami, Mr. Masahiko Tamega, Mr. Masahide Sanada, Mr. Michiaki Mohri, Mr. Yoshitaka Iwakami, Mr. Naoki Okamoto, Mr. Eishi Mitsui (Earth Rise Company, Inc., Okayama, Japan), Dr Shuji Jimbo (Visiting Researcher, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan). Professor Hidetaka Chikamori, and Associate Professor Ryosuke Akoh (Faculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University). He specializes in mathematical techniques such as mathematical modeling, inverse analysis, and numerical simulation.