I explore the extreme physical conditions that exist throughout our Universe. What are the highest temperatures ever realized? How do ultra-strong magnetic fields affect matter? What happens under the influence of extreme gravity? High-energy astrophysics is the field dedicated to investigating such extreme environments in the Universe.
My primary focus is the observational study of compact objects—neutron stars and black holes—using X-ray and gamma-ray observations. Near these compact objects, immense gravitational fields can bend the very path of light itself. When matter accretes onto these objects, it heats up through the release of gravitational energy, ultimately emitting very high-energy photons. Some neutron stars, particularly magnetars, possess magnetic fields reaching ~10¹² Gauss—tens of thousands of times stronger than any field achieved in terrestrial laboratories.
Currently serving as an Assistant Professor at the Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, I am leading efforts toward the next generation of MeV gamma-ray astronomy, particularly in preparation for NASA's Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) mission scheduled for launch in 2027. My research focuses on developing the analytical frameworks and detector technologies needed to unlock the scientific potential of this challenging but crucial energy band.
MeV Gamma-Ray Detector Development and Data Analysis
Development of advanced analysis frameworks for the COSI mission (0.2-5 MeV)
Event reconstruction algorithms for the GRAMS mission using liquid argon time projection chambers
Advanced image reconstruction algorithms including modified Richardson-Lucy methods with Bayesian priors and maximum a posteriori estimation
Novel detector technologies: Si-CMOS hybrid sensors for electron-tracking Compton cameras
Extreme Astrophysical Environments around Compact Objects
Spectral/timing analysis and particle acceleration mechanisms in gamma-ray binaries—the most efficient cosmic accelerators
Signs of pulsations in gamma-ray binaries and evidence for magnetar-class magnetic fields in a gamma-ray binary system (notably the ~9s pulsar in LS 5039)
Nuclear de-excitation gamma-ray lines from hot plasma around black holes for temperature diagnostics
Gravitationally redshifted spectral lines for neutron star equation of state constraints
Fe Kα line diagnostics and Compton shoulders for understanding stellar wind environments and accretion geometry