Research Groups

Water and Material Cycles Division

Water and material cycles are essential components of earth climate system. In this division we conduct the physical and chemical studies from a view point of meteorology and atmospheric sciences including atmospheric chemistry, glaciology, hydrology, physical oceanography, marine chemistry and geochemistry with a focus on seawater, sea ice, snow/ice, clouds, gases, aerosols and sediments.

Ocean and Sea Ice Dynamics Group

Our group investigates ocean circulation, water-mass formation, sea-ice variability, ice shelf-ocean interaction, and the influence of sea ice on ocean, atmosphere, and climate, with a focus on polar and ice-covered oceans, based on in-situ observation, satellite remote sensing, and modeling.

KeywordsSea-ice production/melt, Antarctic Bottom Water, ice shelf-ocean interaction

Graduate schoolCourse in Atmosphere-Ocean and Climate Dynamics (Division of Earth System Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Kay I. OHSHIMA, Specially Appointed Prof.

Oceanography

Atmosphere-Ocean Interaction Group

Our group approaches air-sea interactions in sea ice areas of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Antarctic Ocean from in-situ observations and remotely-sensed data analyses.

Keywordsair-sea interactions, sea ice, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Antarctic Ocean

Graduate schoolCourse in Atmosphere-Ocean and Climate Dynamics, Course in Cryosphere Science (Division of Earth System Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Naoto EBUCHI, Prof.

Physical oceanography / Microwave remote sensing of sea surface

Shigeru AOKI, Prof.

Physical oceanography / Climate change in Antarctica

Takenobu TOYOTA, Assistant Prof.

Ice-Air-Sea Interactions / Physics of sea ice

Atmospheric and Climate Science Group

Our group targets atmospheric environment mainly in cold regions to investigate multi-scale phenomena of biogeochemical processes between atmosphere and biosphere, and global climate change by using geochemical and geological methods.

KeywordsClimate system, Atmospheric chemistry, Sediment, Atmospheric aerosol, Ice core

Graduate schoolCourse in Biogeochemistry (Division of Earth System Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Osamu SEKI, Associate Prof.

Paleoclimatology / Organic Geochemistry

Yuzo MIYAZAKI, Assistant Prof.

Atmospheric Chemistry

Land-atmosphere interaction Group

We are studying fundamental processes related to the land surface fluxes, mesoscale atmospheric phenomena, and frozen soil to elucidate the interactions of the atmosphere, biosphere, and cryosphere in cold regions.

KeywordsMicrometeorology, Mesoscale meteorology, Permafrost

Graduate schoolCourse in Cryosphere Science, Course in Atmosphere-Ocean and Climate Dynamics (Division of Earth System Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Tsutomu WATANABE, Prof.

Boundary-Layer Meteorology

Masayuki KAWASHIMA, Assistant Prof.

Meteorology

Kou SHIMOYAMA, Assistant Prof.

Boundary-Layer Meteorology

Isotope Physiology, Ecology, and Geochemistry Group

Major objectives of our laboratory are related to visualizing biogeochemical energy cycles in biosphere via changes in the stable isotope ratios of organic compounds.

Graduate schoolCourse in Biogeochemistry (Division of Earth System Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Yoshito CHIKARAISHI, Prof.

Organic Geochemistry

Yuko TAKIZAWA, Associate Prof.

Isotope Physiology

Frontier Ice and Snow Science Division

The Frontier Ice and Snow Science Division pursues comprehensive understanding of the planetary and terrestrial phenomena on the basis of ice and snow sciences. This division also opens the way for the frontier science related to ice and snow.

Glacier and Ice Sheet Research Group

We study glacier/ice-sheet and global environmental changes related to the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and the mountain glaciers in Patagonia, South America, by means of numerical modelling, field observations, ice-core analysis and satellite remote sensing.

Keywordsglacier, ice sheet, Greenland, Antarctica, Patagonia, numerical modeling, field observation, ice core, satellite remote sensing

Graduate schoolCourse in Cryosphere Science (Division of Earth System Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Ralf GREVE, Prof.

Dynamics of Ice Sheets and Glaciers

Shin SUGIYAMA, Prof.

Glaciology

Yoshinori IIZUKA, Associate Prof.

Glaciology

Masahiro MINOWA, Assistant Prof.

Glaciology

Phase Transition Dynamics Group

We are studying structures of surfaces/interfaces of ice crystals and their various phase transition phenomena, such as crystal growth and surface melting. To perform such studies, we are also developing various advanced optical microscopes and interferometers.

KeywordsSnow, Ice, Crystal growth, Surface melting, Interaction with atmosphere, Advanced optical microscope

Graduate schoolDepartment of Cosmosciences (Graduate School of Science)

Gen SAZAKI, Prof.

Crystal growth / Development of optical microscopes

Ken NAGASHIMA, Assistant Prof.

Crystal growth / Surface science

Ken-ichiro MURATA, Assistant Prof.

Softmatter physics / Physics of liquid

Astrophysical Chemistry / Low Temperature Nanomaterial Science Group

We study microscopic physical and chemical processes and evolutionary processes of materials at the atomic and nanoscale that occur in the terrestrial and extraterrestrial low-temperature environments using various experimental techniques.

Keywordsinterstellar dust, interstellar organic molecules, ice, nanoparticles, low-temperature surface reactions, nucleation

Graduate schoolDepartment of Cosmosciences (Graduate School of Science)

Naoki WATANABE, Prof.

Astrophysics

Yuki KIMURA, Prof.

Nanomaterial Science

Yasuhiro OBA, Associate Prof.

Cosmogeochemistry

Tomoya YAMAZAKI, Associate Prof.

Crystal growth / Nanoscience / Electron microscopy

Hiroshi HIDAKA, Assistant Prof.

Astrochemistry

Masashi TSUGE, Assistant Prof.

Low-temperature physical chemistry

Environmental Biology Division

The Environmental Biology Division pursues comprehensive understanding of the bidirectional interaction between the organisms and their surrounding environments in cold regions. This division also engages in the analysis of biodiversities and the adaptation mechanisms of the organisms in these regions.

Plant Adaptation Biology Group

In our laboratory, we investigate the adaptation mechanisms of photosynthetic organisms including plants and algae to various environments such as low temperature, drought or changing light intensities using various techniques of biochemistry, molecular biology and bioinformatics. Our main research projects encompass the topics related to photosynthesis, chlorophyll and nitrogen metabolism, and the evolution of photosynthesis.

Keywordsphotosynthesis, cyanobacteria, algae, chlorophyll, carotenoids, trees, evolution

Graduate schoolCourse in Molecular Biology (Division of Biosphere Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Ryouichi TANAKA, Prof.

Plant Physiology

Kiyomi ONO, Assistant Prof.

Plant Ecophysiology

Hisashi ITO, Assistant Prof.

Plant Physiology

Atsushi TAKABAYASHI, Assistant Prof.

Plant Physiology

Microbial Ecology Group

Graduate schoolCourse in Molecular Biology (Division of Biosphere Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Manabu FUKUI, Specially Appointed Prof.

Microbial Ecology

Tomohiro WATANABE, Associate Prof.

Microbial Ecology

Biochemistry Group, Biodiversity Group

We use ecological, biochemical, and molecular biological methods to understand the relationship between terrestrial microorganisms & animals and ecosystems, and the mechanisms by which organisms adapt to environments.

KeywordsInsects, Innate immunity, Soil microbiome, Meta-omics, Shrew, Mammal evolution

Graduate schoolCourse in Molecular Biology, Course in Animal Ecology (Division of Biosphere Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Masanori OCHIAI, Associate Prof.

Biochemistry

Yasuhiro KASAHARA, Associate Prof.

Microbial Ecology

Satoshi OHDACHI, Assistant Prof.

Animal Ecology, Mammalogy

Hibernation metabolism, physiology, and development Group

We explore the mysteries of mammalian hibernation by dissecting molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance, seasonal body remodeling, and torpor. For this purpose, we use various experimental techniques including molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, physiology, bioinformatics, imaging, developmental biology, and neuroscience, in collaboration with researchers among the world.

KeywordsHibernation, Metabolisms, Cell death

Graduate schoolCourse in Molecular Biology (Division of Biosphere Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Yoshifumi YAMAGUCHI, Prof.

Molecular Developmental Physiology

Masamitsu SONE, Assistant Prof.

Molecular Biology

Akari YAMAUCHI, Assistant Prof.

Biochemistry

Pan-Okhotsk Research Center

The Pan-Okhotsk region is the area surrounded by the Eurasian continent, the North Pacific Ocean, the Arctic region, and the subtropics, centering the Sea of Okhotsk. The Pan-Okhotsk Research Center aims to evaluate correctly the roles of this region on the global climate change, as well as its impacts on the Pan-Okhotsk environment.

Pan-Okhotsk Research Center

The Pan-Okhotsk research center was established to elucidate the role of the Pan-Okhotsk region in global environmental change and to assess the impact of climate change. We have been constructing an international research network, and are promoting international observations through, satellite observations, shipboard observations, terrestrial surveys, and numerical modeling. In order to tackle multidisciplinary geo-scientific issues in the Pan-Okhotsk region, the center promote and lead projects and joint research together with national and international researchers.

KeywordsSea of Okhotsk, Land and Ocean linkage, Sea Ice, Ocean-Atmospehre-Cryosphere material cycle, Social implications

Graduate school Course in Biogeochemistry, Course in Atmosphere-Ocean and Climate Dynamics, Course in Cryosphere Science (Division of Earth System Science, Graduate School of Environmental Science), Course in Human and Ecological Systems (Division of Environmental Science Development, Graduate School of Environmental Science)

Jun NISHIOKA, Prof.

Chemical Oceanography

Humio MITSUDERA, Prof.

Oceanography

Takayuki SHIRAIWA, Associate Prof.

Glaciology

Tomohiro NAKAMURA, Lecturer

Oceanography