Kenichi Matsuoka's web site

Kenichi Matsuoka, PhD

Dr. Matsuoka received a BS in solid-state physics from Hokkaido University in 1995, and a MS and a PhD in earth environment sciences from Hokkaido University in 1997 and 2002, respectively. Since that time, he has worked as a field-oriented glaciologist investigating seasonal snow, glaciers, periglacial geomorphology, and ice sheets. He joined the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington as a research associate (post doc) in 2002 and then appointed to a research assistant professor in 2005. His current research interests include evolution and stability of the Antarctic ice sheet, subglacial lakes, and radio-wave scattering within polar ice sheets and temperate glaciers.

More about Matsuoka's ongoing research projects

Dr. Matsuoka's research is currently funded by U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs. Two of four NSF-funded projects investigate the central west Antarctic ice sheet, where the U.S. Antarctic Program will drill a full-depth ice core to reconstruct paleoclimate over the last ~100,000 years. Geological evidence and numerical models show that the west Antarctic ice sheet has shrank significantly since about 20,000 years before present. However, the inland region of the ice sheet where geological evidence is not available is poorly known. These projects use ice-penetrating radar as a primary tool to peer into the ice that records the past ice-flow history and gives regional framework for the forthcoming ice core and more general understandings of the evolution of the west Antarctic ice sheet. Another NSF-funded project studies existing air-borne radar data collected over sugbalcial lake Vostok in Antarctica. The roughly 300-km by 100-km lake locates tectonics-controlled bedrock depression beneath more than 4-km of ice. Water depth exceeds 700 m and accreted ice found in the Vostok ice core suggests that water circulates actively in the lake. With the aid of ice core data, we will dielectrically characterize the ice/lake interface, which is the crucial to constrain recent lake conditions. The other NSF-funded project examines how radio-wave scatters at water-related features within glaciers. Rain and melt water is discharged into the ice body through water channels and lubricates the bed of the ice. Characteristics of the water passageways and their seasonal and spatial variations are key knowledge to understand dynamics and hydrology of mountain glaciers and possible acceleration of polar ice sheets under significant surface melting.

Besides these ongoing projects, he makes initial efforts to study central Greenland ice sheet, fast-flow glaciers and its impact to the stability of the east Antarctic ice sheet, and to apply borehole radar methods to glaciology. He is actively pursuing research opportunities beyond his current expertise. His research projects also includes education for graduate and undergraduate students, and provides first-hand science to a wider range of students and the general public.

Evolution of the west Antarctic ice sheet Two NSF-funded projects are investigating current glaciological conditions to learn past ice surface geometry and flow features near the divide that separates ice flow towards Ross and Amundsen Embayment, West Antarctica. One project analyzing existing airborne radar data collected by University of Texas examines a parameter that can be a proxy of ice temperature and deep ice near the subglacial hills. Ice temperature controls ice rheology and, in particular, such deep ice is poorly known of its contribution to the entire ice sheet system. The other project carries out field work in 2005/6 and 2006/7 austral summers to detect ice crystal structures that have formed by the past ice flow. Both projects complement ongoing efforts to reconstruct paleoclimate using an ice core from the region and, more generally, evaluate the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.	Detection of water passageways in glaciers using radar Water pathways within ice transport melt water from the glacier surface to the glacier bed. This bed lubrication introduces significant seasonal and daily variations in ice-flow speed in mountain glaciers. Current polar ice sheets encounter minor surface melting, but ongoing warming in the coastal region of the ice sheets may result in the significant acceleration of ice flow. Using numerical models and laboratory experiments, this project will examine variations of radio-wave scattering from englacial water passageways as a function of the radar frequency and the radar polarization. This is a collaborative project with University of Colorado, and also tied with US Army Cold Region Research and Engineering Laboratory.
Subglacial Lake Vostok in East Antarctica Many subglacial lakes exist in Antarctica, because thick ice prevents the penetration of the cold wave. Lake Vostok is the largest one amongst of 145 confirmed subglacial lakes so far. We are analyzing airborne radar data to dielectrically characterize the ice/lake interface with the aid of ice core data.	EducationAs a faculty member at the Department of Earth and Space Sciences, education is the major component of Dr. Matsuoka's activities. All research projects include graduate and/or undergraduate students. Outreach activities planned in these projects provide first-hand experience for a wider range of students and the general public.
Practical tips and useful links Here is a short list of tips using Matlab, ArcInfo, C, Labview etc and useful links on the Internet. This is Matsuoka's personal tips and then not complete.	Message for perspective collaborators and students Dr. Matsuoka is actively pursuing new research projects. He is interested in both projects that fit well in his expertise and that expand his horizons.

Kenichi Matsuoka, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington

Peering into deep blue ice using ice-penetrating radar

Kenichi Matsuoka, PhD

More about Matsuoka's ongoing research projects