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How are the elements surrounding us born in our Universe? How can we observe the sites where they are generated? Indeed, atomic nuclei produced in various astronomical phenomena sometimes emit light with specific high energies. The so-called nuclear gamma rays are powerful observational tools that can investigate where and how much of each element is produced in our Universe. The observation of nuclear gamma rays is still being developed technically, and the sensitivity for astronomical observations remains low. I have been interested in astronomical observations of these nuclear gamma rays, including the development of observational technologies.

In my project, using the COSI satellite, planned for launch by NASA in 2027 with sensitivity ten times higher than previous missions, I will observe nuclear gamma rays from our Galaxy to reveal the distribution and origin of heavy elements (such as aluminum and iron) and positrons, which are the antimatter counterparts of electrons. Additionally, I will develop new technologies to achieve even higher sensitivity in future gamma-ray observations.