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The Mainichi
04-05-2025
- Science
- The Mainichi
AI helping researchers, laypeople discover archaeological sites in Japan mountains
KOBE -- Traces of a small mountain castle dating to medieval times were discovered in the hills of Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture, this March, thanks to advances in surveying powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Are new methods ushering in a new era of discoveries? What led to the find was highly precise 3D map data published by Hyogo Prefecture. The hill castle ruins' location was confirmed when a research team from the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (Nabunken) found distinctive landforms at the site which were first seen in an AI-driven map analysis during other research. The ruins were found near a peak about an hour's walk from a road. One of its slopes is flattened, and landform features such as traces of a moat and a bridge were seen there. The height from the bottom of the moat to the flattened area is estimated to have reached 5 meters. Since remnants of roads were also found nearby, it was concluded to be highly probable the castle was a lookout. Since it is not built robustly enough as a base for battle, as those in the Sengoku (Warring States) period (1467-1615), the site is thought to date back to the 14th century Nanbokucho period (1336-1392) when mountain fortresses were still developing. Four kilometers northeast, the Kinoyama Castle Ruins sit where the Akamatsu clan, a powerful family in Harima Province at the time, had their base of operations. Lead researcher Yuichi Takata, a Nabunken historian who made the discovery, said, "Many distinctive landforms were also found in the surrounding area that could have been mountain castle sites. If these are connected, it may help to map out the possible power relationships of the time." Use of aerial lasers Takata and the others utilized 3D map data covering all of Hyogo Prefecture, which the prefectural government began releasing to the public in stages in 2020. The data, measured by aerial laser scanning, provides elevation in square areas 1 meter on each side in flat areas and square areas 50 centimeters on a side in mountainous regions. They used AI to analyze the data as part of research to locate ancient Japanese burial mounds known as kofun. At least 1,300 locations with land features that could indicate ancient burial mounds were found, and on-site surveys in locations in the cities of Toyooka and Tatsuno confirmed 34 as burial mounds and temple ruins. This was reportedly when the unusual landform was observed, which was later determined to be the site of a mountain castle. Ancient sites found in the mountains one after another Under the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties, development projects near previously discovered sites must be reported as the surrounding areas are designated as "areas containing cultural properties." The Agency for Cultural Affairs says there are about 460,000 such sites nationwide, with around 9,000 excavations conducted annually. However, most of these surveys are linked to development, and are therefore concentrated in urban areas. Mountainous areas can be seen as a void for archaeological excavation, but in recent years, the trend is changing as governments successively make map data available to the public and archaeology fans are starting to use it to make discoveries. In Hida, Gifu Prefecture, the city government started utilizing map data in fiscal 2019. Thanks to suggestions from archaeology fans, burial mounds, mountain fortresses and other structures have been discovered, and inspired city staff analyzed the data and newly registered 71 archaeological sites. The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan has been publicly releasing map data since 2023. At the end of this past March, the data covered around 40% of the entire country. Also in 2023, the Hyogo Prefectural Government released geodata with a resolution of 50 centimeters on each side. The high accuracy makes it possible to spot ruins not only using AI, but also with the naked eye. "Ruins are often located deep in the mountains, and it's difficult to find them by raw effort alone. If they can be identified in advance using 3D maps, that makes it an order of magnitude more efficient," said Takata. Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Archaeology curator Hirokazu Nagae, who worked on the findings with Takata, commented, "Searching for archaeological sites from 3D maps is becoming popular overseas. It looks like it can be used effectively not only for research and as a hobby, but also for surveys associated with development." (Japanese original by Akira Inoh, Kobe Bureau)
Express Tribune
23-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Japan-backed upgrade triples clean water supply
In a ceremony at WASA's Jhal Khanwana Water Works Station, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) of Faisalabad formally inaugurated the upgraded 5?million gallons per day (MGD) capacity water treatment plant. Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Akamatsu Shuichi presided over the handover, joined by senior WASA officials and JICA representatives. Ambassador Akamatsu underscored the urgency of expanding Faisalabad's water infrastructure. "As Pakistan's third largest city, Faisalabad's population growth has outpaced its historic water supply," he said. "Between 2016 and 2019, JICA helped develop a master plan for water, sewage, and drainage through 2038. Upgrading this 19th century plant was our top priority." A grant exceeding Rs7?billion financed the rehabilitation of aging tanks, modernization of filtration systems, and replacement of transmission pipelines - tripling water output for urban and peri-urban areas. Managing Director WASA Aamer Aziz, represented by Deputy Managing Director Engineering Saqib Raza, praised the collaboration. "Learning from Japanese engineers has elevated our technical expertise," Raza said. "This facility now delivers clean water directly to more than 200,000 Faisalabad residents. The Punjab government's timely funding release was crucial to meeting project milestones." JICA's Resident Representative, Naoaki Miyata, emphasised the facility's impact on public health and sustainable development. "This project advances SDG 6ensuring clean water and sanitation for all," he noted. "We remain committed to technical cooperation that secures safe water supplies and bolsters local capacity." Project Director Ali Ahmed traced the project timeline: in March 2022 WASA established a project management unit; by year-end JICA had selected consultants and pre-qualified contractors; technical and financial bids concluded in mid-2023. To align costs with loan parameters, WASA revised the project scopereducing treatment capacity from 8?MGD to 5?MGD and shortening the maintenance phase. The revised PC-1 received provincial approval in January 2025, paving the way for this month's inauguration. The ceremony concluded with Ambassador Akamatsu unveiling a commemorative plaque and touring the revamped plant. Attendees included Deputy Managing Director Admin Shoaib Rashid.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mars could have an ocean's worth of water beneath its surface, seismic data suggest
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Persuasive new evidence supporting the possibility of liquid water deep underground on Mars has come to light in a new analysis of seismic data from NASA's InSight lander. In 2024, researchers proposed that the deep subsurface of the Red Planet, particularly between 7.1 and 12.4 miles (11.5 and 20 kilometers) down, is soaked in liquid water, a conclusion they base on the velocities of seismic waves detected during marsquakes. Now, researchers Ikuo Katayama of Hiroshima University and Yuya Akamatsu of the Research Institute for Marine Geodynamics in Japan have found supporting evidence for this claim of liquid water deep inside Mars. "Many studies suggest the presence of water on ancient Mars billions of years ago," said Katayama in a statement. "But our model indicates the presence of liquid water on present-day Mars." Like the previous research, this new study is based on seismic data collected by the SEIS (Seismic Experiment for the Interior Structure) instrument that was part of the InSight mission, which operated on the surface of the red planet between 2018 and 2022. SEIS was the first ever seismometer to operate on Mars, and it was sensitive to three different types of seismic wave emanating from marsquakes. These were: P-waves, which oscillate back and forth similar to how a sound wave propagates; S-waves which oscillate up and down, perpendicular to the direction of travel; and surface waves, which travel along the surface of Mars similar to ripples in a pond. The new research was focused on the subterranean P-waves and S-waves. P-waves are the faster seismic waves, while S-waves are slower and cannot travel through water because liquid does not permit that kind of oscillation perpendicular to motion. Seismometers measuring these two different types of seismic wave can help reveal the density and composition of the underground medium (such as water, or rock) through which those waves travelled, based on how strong their signals are and how long it took them to reach the seismometer. With that in mind, Katayama and Akamatsu honed in on two transitional regions in the seismic data, where there appear to be sudden changes in the properties of the interior of the Red Planet at depths of 6.2 to 12.4 miles (10 and 20 kilometers), very close to where previous studies claim to have found evidence for liquid water. Previously, geophysicists had argued that these transitions represent the difference between volcanic materials above and ejecta from impacts buried below, and a change from porous rock (i.e. filled with cracks and hollows) to solid rock at 12 miles (20 kilometers) deep. But there's more to it than this, say Katayama and Akamatsu. According to their analysis of the P-waves and S-waves detected by SEIS, there is water in the porous rock, filling the cracks and hollows between 6 and 12 miles (10 and 20 kilometers) deep. RELATED STORIES: — Is there liquid water on Mars today? Marsquake data could tell us — Mars was shaken by its strongest marsquake ever in 2022. Now we know what caused it — NASA's InSight lander just recorded its biggest quake on Mars ever To test their hypothesis based on the seismic data, the two researchers performed tests on diabase rocks (a type of igneous rock also known as dolerite) from Rydaholm in Sweden. These rocks are one of the best terrestrial analogs to Martian rocks, and Katayama and Akamatsu found that in wet conditions the diabase rocks returned similar seismic signatures as what SEIS was detecting. Previous studies estimated that there could be enough water deep underground on Mars to cover the surface in a global ocean between 0.62 to 1.24 miles (1 and 2 kilometers) deep. The existence of so much liquid water, if confirmed, could suggest the possibility of "the presence of microbial activity," said Katayama. Sadly, there's no way we could reach that water, or any life that might exist down there, with current technology. Until we can, the mysteries of Mars, along with its water, will remain buried for the time being. Katayama and Akamatsu's research is published in the journal Geology.
