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Rock Cycle Science Lab
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A lab that explores volcanic and metamorphic processes starting from how rocks form.
AboutAbout the lab
Reading volcanic and metamorphic processes through rocks.
The Rock Cycle Science Lab studies the behavior of volcanoes, mass transfer in metamorphic rocks, temperature and pressure conditions, and reactions between hydrothermal fluids and rocks.
The lab combines theory, experiments, analysis, and fieldwork, and most research themes are decided based on students' interests.
Samples are collected in the field, rocks are made into thin sections and observed under a polarizing microscope, and the chemical compositions of minerals are analyzed by SEM-EDS and EPMA.
The lab's website introduces it under the name "Rock Cycle Science Group."
Key terms
- Polarizing microscope
- A microscope for observing rock thin sections thin enough to transmit light. Differences in interference colors among minerals reveal textures and crystals
- EPMA
- An instrument for analyzing the chemical composition of minerals. Mapping element distributions reveals compositional variation within grains
- Lützow-Holm Complex
- A rock complex in East Antarctica consisting mainly of high-temperature metamorphic rocks
NewsLab news
A paper by Assistant Professor Miyamoto and an alumnus is published in International Journal of Earth Sciences
A paper by Associate Professor Ikeda is published in Journal of Metamorphic Geology
A paper by an alumnus and Professor Toramaru is published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth
A paper by a master's student and Assistant Professor Miyamoto is published in Japanese Magazine of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences
A paper by Assistant Professor Miyamoto is published in Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences
ResearchResearch themes
Using theory, experiments, analysis, and fieldwork, the Rock Cycle Science Lab studies volcanic behavior, mass transfer and temperature-pressure conditions in metamorphic rocks, and reactions between hydrothermal fluids and rocks. The faculty's research keywords are metamorphic petrology for Associate Professor Ikeda, and petrology and geochemistry for Assistant Professor Miyamoto.
*Illustrative imageMass transfer and pressure-temperature conditions in metamorphic rocks
The lab studies how material moves in metamorphic rocks and the temperature and pressure conditions they experienced. Research keywords of group members include metamorphic petrology, high-temperature metamorphic rocks, and Antarctica.
*Illustrative imageExploring how continental crust forms
The lab reads rock textures to quantitatively determine changes in temperature and pressure. It also measures element concentrations and absolute ages, aiming to clarify how continental crust, including island-arc igneous rocks, formed.
*Illustrative imageOccurrence and age of dikes in Antarctica
In the Lützow-Holm Complex of East Antarctica, the lab studies dikes (bodies formed when magma enters a fracture and solidifies) that cut through metamorphic rocks. Chemical compositions and mineral ages suggest that they intruded after metamorphism.
*Illustrative imageHydrothermal alteration at Unzen Jigoku
At the fumarolic area of Unzen Jigoku in Nagasaki Prefecture, the lab studies hydrothermal alteration of rocks. From the chemical compositions of alteration minerals and hot spring water, it was inferred that acidic alteration accompanies present-day hot spring activity, while silicification occurred under high-temperature conditions underground.
MembersFaculty
The Rock Cycle Science Lab consists of faculty, professors emeritus, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorTakeshi Ikeda
- Assistant ProfessorTomoharu Miyamoto
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Metamorphic rock in the area at Sårjåstjåhkkå in Sulitjelma” Frankemann / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Mass transfer and pressure-temperature conditions in metamorphic rocks: “Garnet schist )” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Exploring how continental crust forms: “Continental and oceanic crust-eu” USGS and me. / CC0 (cropped)
- Occurrence and age of dikes in Antarctica: “S of Mt Jackson irregular mafic dyke cutting breccia” euphro / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Hydrothermal alteration at Unzen Jigoku: “GGCGNN073 & GGCGNN074 (unnamed fumarole-hot spring immediately west of Beryl Spring) (9 July 2015) 2” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (地球内部物質学研究室): “Diamond anvil cell schematic” José A. Flores-Livas, Lilia Boeri, Antonio Sanna, Gianni Profeta, Ryotaro Arita, Mikhail Eremets / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (地球システム化学研究室): “Pāhoehoe Lava flow” Brocken Inaglory / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (観測地震・火山学研究室 (地震火山観測研究センター)): “Seismometer-iceland” Heidi Soosalu / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (地球内部ダイナミクス研究室): “The Day the Earth Smiled - PIA17172” NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI / Public domain (cropped)
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