We present the results of global three-dimensional radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the formation of soft X-ray emitting regions in active galactic nuclei by applying a radiation magnetohydrodynamic code based on the M1-closure scheme. The effect of Compton cooling is taken into account. When the surface density of the accretion flow exceeds the upper limit of the radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF), the optically thin, hot accretion flow near the black hole co-exists with the soft X-ray emitting, warm (T = 106 – 107 K) Comptonized region around r = 20 – 40rs, where rs is the Schwarzschild radius. Numerical results indicate that when the accretion rate approaches the Eddington accretion rate, the warm Comptonized region stays in optically thin for effective optical depth, Thomson thick, and radiation pressure dominant state. This region is found to oscillate between a geometrically thin, cool state and a geometrically thick state inflated by radiation pressure. The time variability of the accretion flow is consistent with that of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies.

Areas affected by routine radiocarbon (14C) discharges from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) and accidental releases in March 2011 were investigated by analysis of cores from Japanese cypress and cedar trees growing at sites 9 and 24 km northwest of the plant. 14C concentrations in tree rings from 2008–2014 (before and after the accident) were determined by accelerator mass spectrometry, with 14C activities in the range 231–256 Bq kg−1 C. Activities during the period 2012–2014, after FDNPP shutdown, represent background levels, while the significantly higher levels recorded during 2008–2010, before the accident, indicate uptake of 14C from routine FDNPP operations. The mean excess 14C activity for the pre-accident period at the sites 9 and 24 km northwest of the plant were 21 and 12 Bq kg−1 C, respectively, indicating that the area of influence during routine FDNPP operations extended at least 24 km northwest. The mean excess tree-ring 14C activities in 2011 were 10 and 5.8 Bq kg−1 C at 9 and 24 km northwest, respectively, documenting possible impact of the FDNPP accident on 14C levels in trees.

Following an International Geophysical Year project, we conducted meteorological observations during 2004–07 around the Suntar–Khayata range in eastern Siberia, where a strong temperature inversion exists throughout the winter. The temperature on the flat plain around Oymyakon (~700ma.s.l.) was ~20°C lower than that in a glaciated area located at ~2000ma.s.l. The inversion remained stable from October to April due to the Siberian high. Snowfall was limited to the beginning and end of winter. The stable conditions prevented atmospheric disturbances and inhibited snowfall during midwinter. From 1945 to 2003, glaciers in the Suntar–Khayata range retreated, with an area reduction of 19.3%. To assess this retreat, we estimated the response of the glaciers to climate change. According to US National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) data, the temperature in this region increased by ~1.9°C over 60 years. By calculating snow accumulation and ablation, the sensitivity of the equilibrium-line altitude (ELA) to the temperature shift was evaluated. We estimated snow precipitation based on precipitation at <0°C and ablation using the degree-day method. By these estimates, the ELA of Glacier No. 31, assumed 2350 m at present, could rise ~150m if temperature rises an average of 1°C. Furthermore, a 1.8°C temperature rise could cause the ELA to rise to 2600ma.s.l., removing the accumulation zone. With no accumulation zone, the glacier body would decrease, roughly halving in volume after ~400 years.

With decreases in Arctic sea-ice extent in recent years, the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and Northwest Passage (NWP), which we collectively term the Arctic Sea Route (ASR), have become open for navigation more frequently. The ASR connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, with the NSR following the Siberian coast, and the NWP following the north coast of North America. This study evaluated long-term ice concentrations along both routes using microwave data from the SMMR and SSM/I sensors, and analyzed details using data from the AMSR-E passive microwave sensor. The data were used to determine the number of navigable days according to various sea-ice concentrations. Analysis of SMMR and SSM/I data showed a remarkably large number of navigable days on the NSR since 1995. For the NWP, the low resolution of the SMMR and SSM/I data for the Canadian Arctic Archipelago made analysis difficult, but long-term change in the sea-ice distribution on the ASR was indicated. Analysis of the AMSR-E microwave sensor data revealed navigable days along the NSR in 2002 and from 2005 to 2009 (except 2007). For navigation purposes, the sea-ice decrease in specific regions is important, as well as the decrease across the Arctic Ocean as a whole. For the NWP, numerous navigable days were identified in the period 2006–08.

The seasonal duration of sea-ice cover in the region immediately north of Hokkaido in the Sea of Okhotsk was estimated from daily sea-ice concentration maps (1995–2009) produced by the Japanese Coast Guard. The results show that this period is generally well represented by the proxy record of sea-ice duration in the region of Utoro in the Shiretoko peninsula. Comparison of the duration of seasonal sea-ice cover along the coast of Hokkaido with meteorological conditions over the period of sea-ice mapping by the Japanese Coast Guard indicates that all sea ice will disappear from the coast of Hokkaido once air temperature is increased by 2–4˚C over present values by the effects of climate change.

We analyze sea-ice conditions along seven segments of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) over four time periods. We researched sea ice by segment, using data from the satellite microwave sensors SMMR, SSM/I and AMSR-E. The four analysis periods (periods I–IV: 1980–88, 1989–2001, 2002–06 and 2007–11, respectively) were determined based on changes in the extent of minimum sea ice throughout the Arctic Ocean. Sea ice showed a decreasing tendency from period I to period IV. For example, sea-ice area in period IV decreased compared to previous periods in the eastern East Siberian Sea and around Severnaya Zemlya, areas that had very high sea-ice concentrations in period I. Sea-ice area in the eastern East Siberian Sea decreased sharply during period III, whereas the Severnaya Zemlya area maintained a high ice concentration. In period IV, sea-ice coverage around Severnaya Zemlya was low, although it remained at 25% in the area east of Severnaya Zemlya, which is a key area for navigation. The proportion of multi-year (MY) ice drastically decreased after winter 2002, and only a small amount of MY ice existed in the winters of 2003–06. MY ice disappeared from the eastern East Siberian Sea after 2007. On the other hand, around Severnaya Zemlya the proportion of MY ice showed cyclic ups and downs between 1997 and 2008. Thus, the persistence of various types of sea ice varies according to region. The persistence of various types of sea ice around Severnaya Zemlya also varied each year.

Quite high amounts of evaporation observed on glaciers in dry Central Asia are one important component in the mass balance of glaciers. During glaciological research at West Kunlun Mountains on the northwestern Tibetan plateau in 1987, high evaporation of more than 2 mm of water per day was observed near the equilibrium line (5800–5900 m a.s.l.) in mid-summer due to dry and windy climate. Annual evaporation is estimated by a semi-empirical method using the full year meteorological data taken by an automatic meteorological station. This value shows that evaporation occupies quite a high percentage within the mass balance near the equilibrium line and on the whole glacier. Discussions will centre on comparison with evaporation data obtained on other glaciers and on the effect of such evaporation in the climate-glacier relation.

Electron-beam-induced soft-X-ray emission spectroscopy (SXES) that uses a grating spectrometer has been introduced to a conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM) for characterizing desired specimen areas of bulk materials. The spectrometer was designed as a grazing incidence flat-field optics by using aberration corrected (varied line spacing) gratings and a multichannel plate detector combined with a charge-coupled device camera, which has already been applied to a transmission electron microscope. The best resolution was confirmed as 0.13 eV at Mg L-emission (50 eV), which is comparable with that of recent dedicated electron energy-loss spectroscopy instruments. This SXES-SEM instrument presents density of states of simple metals of bulk Mg and Li. Apparent band-structure effects have been observed in Si L-emission of Si wafer, P L-emission of GaP wafer, and Al L-emissions of intermetallic compounds of AlCo, AlPd, Al2Pt, and Al2Au.

Fetal lung maturity assessment in twin pregnancy has been discussed, but is still controversial. The purpose of this study is to predict the occurrence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) using lamellar body count (LBC) and analyze the validity of LBC for fetal lung maturity assessment in twin pregnancy. Three-hundred two amniotic fluid samples were obtained at cesarean section from 29 to 38 weeks of gestation. Samples were analyzed immediately with no centrifugation and the number of lamellar bodies was counted using a platelet channel on the Sysmex SF-3000. There were 18 neonates (6.0%) suffering from RDS. An LBC cut-off value of 2.95 × 104/μL resulted in 91.5% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity for predicting RDS. This cut-off value for predicting RDS was the same as that in singleton pregnancy. Moreover, the median LBC value in RDS cases was significantly lower than in non-RDS cases (1.50 ± 1.1 × 104/μL vs. 10.6 ± 7.5 × 104/μL; p < .001). This is the first report on the validity of LBC in twin pregnancy and also the largest study on fetal lung maturity assessment in twin pregnancy. An LBC value of >2.95 × 104/μL means reassuring findings for RDS even in twin pregnancy. We believe the data in this study provide valuable, new information for the management of twin pregnancies.

We investigated the anisotropic g tensors of nine kinds of organic semiconductor molecules in the cationic state by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Large anisotropy was obtained in sulfur-containing molecules because of the large spin-orbit coupling at the sulfur atoms. The calculated g values were validated by electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments for the cation radicals in solution.

The efficiency of the energy conversion rate in the relativistic magnetic reconnection is investigated by means of Relativistic Resistive Magnetohydrodynamic (R2MHD) simulations. We confirmed that the simple Sweet-Parker type magnetic reconnection is a slow process for the energy conversion as theoretically predicted by Lyubarsky (2005). After the Sweet-Parker regime, we found a growth of the secondary tearing instability in the elongated current sheet. Then the energy conversion rate and the outflow velocity of reconnection jet increase rapidly. Such a rapid energy conversion would explain the time variations observed in many astrophysical flaring events.

To construct a more realistic model of relativistic reconnection, we extend our R2MHD code to R3MHD code by including the radiation effects (Relativistic Resistive Radiation Magnetohydrodynamics R3MHD). The radiation field is described by the 0th and 1st moments of the radiation intensity (Farris et al. 2008, Shibata et al. 2011). The code has already passed some one-dimensional and multi-dimensional numerical problems. We demonstrate the first results of magnetic reconnection in the radiation dominated current sheet.