Our laboratory focuses on inland waters, particularly rivers and lakes, and conducts research aimed at maintaining healthy aquatic environments and preventing or mitigating water-related disasters. Water flow is the central theme of our research.
As public awareness of environmental issues grows, interest in familiar water environments, such as rivers and lakes that have long supported our daily lives, is also increasing. However, because these water bodies are closely connected to human activities, water-related disasters, such as tsunamis and floods, can sometimes cause devastating damage. Therefore, continuous efforts are needed to maintain healthy aquatic environments in rivers, lakes, and other inland waters, and to reduce the risks of water-related disasters.
Aquatic environments are complex systems consisting of various interacting factors. These include water quality factors, such as water temperature, nutrients, and pollutants, as well as ecosystems comprising aquatic plants, animals, and fish. However, water flow plays a fundamental role in almost all processes occurring in aquatic environments. For example, disasters such as tsunamis and floods involve the movement of water itself, while the transport of substances affecting water quality is governed by water flow. Therefore, understanding water flow and its dynamics is essential for investigating environmental phenomena in aquatic systems.
Our laboratory develops and applies a wide range of computer simulation models of water flow. These include highly accurate three-dimensional flow simulation models based on advanced numerical methods, as well as large-scale, high-performance computational models utilizing parallel computing and general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU). In addition to numerical simulations, we conduct field observations at sites facing environmental problems, perform laboratory flume experiments, and utilize remote sensing techniques based on satellite imagery. By combining these approaches, we aim to better understand water flow and the physical processes governing aquatic environments.