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Yokota Lab
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The lab precisely measures movements of the seafloor by combining satellites and acoustic waves.
AboutAbout the lab
Measuring the seafloor with new observation technologies
Yokota Lab studies underwater and seafloor information systems, building on satellite observation engineering and ocean engineering.
The lab also works in space geodesy and Earth science, collaborating with many institutions to understand global-scale phenomena.
Currently, the lab focuses on new sea-surface platform technologies centered on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), and on applying them to observation.
Key terms
- GNSS-A
- A technique that combines satellite positioning such as GPS with distance measurement using sound waves traveling through the water, to determine seafloor position at the centimeter level
- SLR
- Short for Satellite Laser Ranging. A method that fires a laser from the ground at an artificial satellite and precisely measures the distance from the time it takes for the light to return
- USV
- An unmanned boat that travels on the sea surface with no one on board. A UAV is an uncrewed aircraft (such as a drone)
NewsLab news
A research group including Associate Professor Yokota revealed, through observation, temporal changes in plate locking along the Nankai Trough
The first report on Omni-SLR, a compact satellite laser ranging system, was published in Journal of Geodesy
A paper on AUV control for recovering AUVs with a UAV was published in IJARS
Received the Tsuboi Award (group category) of the Geodetic Society of Japan Awards
A doctoral student received the UTokyo-IIS Research Collaboration Initiative Award 2025
ResearchResearch themes
The lab is working to bring new observation technologies into ocean observation. Its work covers precise seafloor observation that combines satellite positioning and ocean acoustics, the sea-surface platforms that support it, and satellite geodesy.
*Illustrative imageGNSS-A: Precisely Measuring Seafloor Position
Various phenomena occur every day near the source regions of subduction-zone megathrust earthquakes. The lab uses GNSS-A, which combines satellite positioning and ocean acoustics, to capture conditions on the seafloor precisely, and studies how to improve its sensors and apply them.
*Illustrative imageSea-Surface Platforms Beyond Ships and Buoys
Underwater and seafloor observation requires platforms that support instruments at the sea surface. Aiming to pioneer a "third generation" following ships and buoys, the lab is researching technologies that use UAVs and USVs.
*Illustrative imageSatellite Positioning and Space Geodesy
The techniques for positioning and surveying at sea and on land, and the systems that use the resulting data, still leave much room for research and development. The lab studies how to make advanced use of GNSS, SLR, and international geodetic observation networks.
*Illustrative imageExtending Positioning Information to Earth Science
Precisely determined position information is used in geodesy and seismology, as well as in a range of other Earth sciences and in disaster prevention engineering. With the potential of GNSS-A oceanography now being demonstrated, the lab is extending satellite observation engineering and ocean sensor engineering across disciplines.
MembersFaculty
The members of Yokota Lab consist of faculty, technical specialists, and doctoral and master's students.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorYusuke YokotaPublications ↗
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Nankai trough topographic” Peka / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- GNSS-A: Precisely Measuring Seafloor Position: “GNSS antenna” Karlbrix / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Sea-Surface Platforms Beyond Ships and Buoys: “Oceansled Explorer Uncrewed Surface Vehicle operated by Gitxaała Environmental Services aft view” WindBorneListener / CC0 (cropped)
- Satellite Positioning and Space Geodesy: “Goddard Spaceflight Center Laser Ranging Facility” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Extending Positioning Information to Earth Science: “Nankai Trough location map” J. Daugherty / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
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