Keigo Fukumura
Space Holds No Boundaries for Black Hole Researcher
Keigo Fukumura is studying the massive gravitational pull of black holes as a participant in the NASA Postdoctoral Program. The program is managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities and offers unique research opportunities to advance NASA's mission and vision for space exploration.
High-resolution version of photo. Photo courtesy of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
Astrophysicist Keigo Fukumura is fulfilling his dream of “pursuing the mysteries of the universe.” Although it may sound like a phrase that could easily be coined from a science fiction tale, for Fukumura, his dream is what fuels his research mission.
At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., Fukumura is studying the mystery surrounding black holes, which are so powerful that not even light, which travels at a speed of 185,000 miles per second, can escape their gravitational pull. He is specifically studying the X-ray activities associated with black hole accretion processes (i.e., processes of hot plasma falling into black holes), which will greatly help scientists understand their specific roles of producing observable high energy phenomena. Although black holes have earned a reputation as heavy consumers of intergalactic space objects, their mysterious behavior is fascinating to Fukumura.
“Black holes are interesting and simple in that you can theoretically apply the same physics on the Earth to describe these exotic objects,” said Fukumura.
For many years, X-ray astronomers have worked hard to detect statistically reliable data (i.e., spectra and time variability) from various astronomical systems hosting black holes, such as active galactic nuclei (AGNs). AGNs represent extremely bright galaxies that emit explosive amounts of energy from their small nuclei, serving as astronomical laboratories to researchers.
Added Fukumura, “The fact that we can actually ‘see’ the effects of black hole's strong gravity in the observed data is very interesting and my research will help us better understand, through theoretical studies, the physical cause of these observed high energy activities.”
Born and raised in Osaka, Japan, Fukumura obtained a bachelor’s degree in physics from Kyoto Sangyo University, in Kyoto, Japan, before coming to the United States to complete a master’s degree in physics at Western Illinois University and also a Ph.D. in physics from Montana State University. Since arriving at Goddard in 2006, Fukumura has collaborated with NASA researcher Dr. Demosthenes Kazanas on several papers, which have been published by various scientific journals.
His research is supported by the NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP), which is administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities and offers unique research opportunities to advance NASA's mission and vision for space exploration. “The NPP has provided me the opportunity to conduct research of my interest and explore new insights into a wide range of astrophysical context,” said Fukumura. “While any scientific research is a never-ending story, it is my dream that my research will open up a new door to unveil the mysteries of these exciting objects in the universe.”