Akira Konaka
Senior Research Scientist
Dr. Akira Konaka’s research area is experimental particle physics and neutrino physics. He has been involved in the T2K long baseline neutrino experiment from its conception, and participates in the Super-Kamiokande and Hyper-Kamiokande experiments.
Konaka’s work focuses on precision measurement of the neutrino oscillation, such as the CP violation in the lepton sector, astro-particle physics, such as the detection of supernova neutrinos, and searches for physics beyond the standard model, such as proton decays and astrophysical neutrinos from dark matter decays. His interest and expertise are in pursuing fundamental physics by pushing the limits of technology, such as the optical transition radiation (OTR) monitor in front of 1MW target In the T2K, development of the NuPRISM concept for HyperK IWCD, and a sub-GeV e, μ, π, p and γ tagging system for the Water Cherenkov Test Experiment (WCTE) project at CERN.
Konaka is also interested in transferring the technology developed for the fundamental physics experiments. His team has developed a precision water monitoring system for the WCTE and Hyperk projects, which is planned to be deployed in a First Nations community and a municipal water treatment facility. This water monitor’s sensitivity is orders of magnitude better than spectrophotometers, reaching the drinking water limit for cyanotoxins in the lake and organic mercury from the melting permafrost, which would become more important due to global warming.