Astromaterial Laboratory

(Shimonishi Lab)

Niigata University

Faculty of Science, Environmental Science Program / Physics Program

Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Advanced Materials and Fundamental Sciences Program

Overview

Astromaterial Laboratory at Niigata University (Shimonishi Lab) conducts research on the chemical evolution and diversity of the materials that form stars, planets, and ultimately life, based primarily on observations of interstellar molecules using radio and infrared telescopes. We also pursue complementary theoretical and laboratory studies. Our long-term goal is to deepen our understanding of cosmic history through the chemical evolution of star- and planet-forming materials.

Scientific Motivation

How are the building blocks of stars, planets, and potentially life formed in space? How do they evolve physically and chemically, and how diverse are they? Is the molecular diversity observed in our Solar System common throughout the Universe, including galaxies with very different environments and planetary systems that formed in the distant past? These fundamental questions motivate our research.

From the perspective of the evolution of matter, the Universe still holds many unanswered questions. The formation of stars and planets is simultaneously a process of profound chemical evolution. Understanding this evolution is essential for uncovering the origins of the materials that surround us today, as well as those that may have served as the building blocks of the earliest life on Earth.

Observational Research

Our research makes extensive use of observational data obtained with state-of-the-art ground-based and space-based telescopes to investigate interstellar molecules and star formation across a wide range of Galactic and extragalactic environments. In particular, we focus on star- and planet-forming regions in extreme environments that remain largely unexplored from the perspective of chemistry. These include the outermost regions of our Galaxy and nearby dwarf galaxies such as the Magellanic Clouds, where the abundances of key elements such as carbon and oxygen are significantly lower than in the Solar neighborhood, as well as regions affected by supernova explosions, where newly synthesized elements are injected into the interstellar medium. By studying these diverse environments, we aim to reveal how the chemical diversity of star- and planet-forming materials has evolved over the history of galaxies.

Astrochemistry

Our research belongs to the field of astrochemistry, an interdisciplinary science that explores the origin and evolution of cosmic matter through the study of chemical processes in the Universe. Astrochemistry also uses the spectroscopic and chemical properties of atoms and molecules as powerful tools for probing the physical and chemical properties of astronomical objects. As its name suggests, astrochemistry lies at the intersection of astronomy and chemistry, drawing on expertise from astronomy, planetary science, physics, chemistry, biology, and related disciplines. To address these interdisciplinary challenges, we actively collaborate with researchers from a wide range of scientific fields around the world.

The Astromaterial Lab at Niigata University (Shimonishi Lab) explores the origin and evolution of the materials that form stars, planets, and ultimately life throughout the Universe.

Selected Outreach Articles

Jul 2026 Can Organic Molecules Survive a Supernova Explosion? —First Detection of Hot Cores in a Supernova Remnant—

Sep 2025 Protostellar Jet Detection in Milky Way’s Outer Region Reveals Universal Star Formation

Feb 2025 Mysterious Interstellar Icy Objects—A New Site for Organic Molecule Formation?—

Apr 2023 First Detection of Hot Molecular Cloud Cores in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Dec 2021 Stellar Cocoon with Organic Molecules at the Edge of our Galaxy

Sep 2019 Discovery of an Extragalactic Hot Molecular Core

Publications