Two on-going research projects; (1) Computer Simulation of hyperthermic Cancer Therapy and (2) Hydrodynamic Simulations of Continental Shelf Oceanography share a common need for high performance graphics workstations - both require the construction, display, and the manipulation of complex geometrical models for three-dimensional finite element analysis. The limitations imposed by conventional two-dimensional projections of three-dimensional objects necessitates that graphical processing occur in real-time in order to verify data input and analyze data output. The hyperthermia research involves the construction of three-dimensional anatomical models of the human body as computational domains which are used to analyze understand and define adequate thermal dose delivery. The hydrodynamic numerical studies focuses on selected oceanographic processes such as tides and currents and their effects on temperature profiles, nutrient distributions as well as other environmental factors. Detailed geometrical representations of the complex waterways, e.g. Gulf of Maine, Alboran Sea, etc., are necessary for accurate simulations. Despite the distinctively different phenomenon involved both research projects share the feature that the fine geometrical details have a major influence on the computed results. The action provides partial support for the purchase of a Silicon-Graphics IRIS graphics workstation which will be networked with the existing computational resources within the Numerical Methods Laboratory of the Thayer School.
