Takafumi Katsushima

[Recent (or life) research topic] Forests and snow

1) Science of fighting between trees and snow

・Fighting against canopy snow

My research focuses on the mechanisms and risk assessment of snow damage (e.g., fallen trees caused by loads of snow accumulated on tree canopy due to heavy snowfall).

・Fighting against snow on slopes

My research also focuses on the effect of trees on slopes to resist the occurrence of glide avalanches and the impact of snow pressure on the growth of creeping trees that survive on slopes.

2) Science of water movement within the snowpack

Rainfall and snow-melting water are thought to trigger glide avalanches or landslides, but the way water infiltration into the snowpack before they happen, needs to be better understood. In many cases, water is thought to flow downward while forming preferential flows, called water channels, so we are researching to clarify the process of formation or dissipation of water channels.