Thorny lacewings (Rhachiberothidae) are currently distributed only within Africa, whereas they are prevalent in the fossil record of various Cretaceous ambers across the Northern Hemisphere, with a handful of the fossil records from some Eocene European ambers. Four rhachiberothid species in four extinct genera are known from the mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar. Here, we report further examples of the remarkable palaeodiversity of this group from the same amber deposit, adding the four new fossil genera and seven new species: Acanthoberotha cuspis gen. et sp. nov., Astioberotha falcipes gen. et sp. nov., Stygioberotha siculifera gen. et sp. nov., Uranoberotha chariessa gen. et sp. nov., Creagroparaberotha cuneata sp. nov., Micromantispa galeata sp. nov. and M. spicata sp. nov. Based on a series of well-preserved specimens, we discuss the fine details of the raptorial forelegs and genital segments, which may be important for elucidating the phylogenetic relationships among genera. Our findings reveal an unexpectedly diverse assemblage of thorny lacewings in the Cretaceous System, highlighting the morphologically diverse rhachiberothids in Burmese amber. The discovery of seven additional rhachiberothid species in Myanmar amber suggests the potential for much higher diversity and abundance of the Cretaceous rhachiberothids than previously documented. Furthermore, morphological variation in the raptorial forelegs was found to be extremely diverse among the Burmese amber paraberothines, especially in terms of the size, number and shape of spines (or spine-like setae) on the inner edges of protibia, and the morphological structure of the probasitarsus.

Using liquid scintillation counting (LSC) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), radiocarbon concentrations were measured for wine from 8 wineries located in 7 countries in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The 14C concentrations of ethanol and residual materials in the wine were correlated (correlation coefficient 0.82). The δ14C measurements of wine samples from the mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere were approximately 1l% lower than the extrapolations from Schauinsland data, suggesting a local fossil fuel effect. δ14C measurements from the wine samples from the Southern Hemisphere were higher than those from the Northern Hemisphere. The offsets of the 4 wine δ14C measurements were significant, with values between approximately 8% and 15%. Because the harvest years of the mixed grapes were estimated to be 7–12 yr older than their vintage years, this leads to a caveat when determining the 14C concentrations of the year using the wine vintage.

The radiocarbon concentrations in plant leaves from different altitudes at 3 sampling locations were measured with the new compact accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) at Yamagata University to investigate air mixing on a global scale. The sampling locations are Yamagata in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere (NH), Kenya in the equatorial region (EQ), and Chacaltaya in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). The 14C concentrations of the plant leaves ranged from 102 to 105 pMC. The 14C concentrations at high altitudes and mountain summits showed similar values of 104.2 ± 0.28, 104.3 ± 0.36, and 104.4 ± 0.23 pMC at the Yamagata, Kenya, and Chacaltaya sites, respectively. These results indicate that air from the free troposphere is well mixed on a global scale. The local Suess effect was calculated using the 14C concentrations of leaves at the land surface and mountain summits. The fractions were estimated as 1.25 ± 0.3% and 0.87 ± 0.44% at Yamagata and Nairobi, respectively. This estimation method is more advantageous than the conventional calculation. The life cycle of the leaves sampled is 1 or 2 yr, and hence the leaves allow us to study the 14C concentrations in the ambient atmosphere during a narrow and specific time period.

Radiocarbon ages of Choukai Jindai cedar tree rings growing in the excess era of 14C concentrations during 2757–2437 cal BP were measured using 2 types of 14C measurement methods, i.e. liquid scintillation counting (LSC) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The difference between the 2 methods is 3.7 ± 5.2 14C yr on average for 61 single-year tree rings, indicating good agreement between the methods. The Choukai data sets show a small sharp bump with an average 14C age of 2497.1 ± 3.0 14C yr BP during 2650–2600 cal BP. Although the profile of the Choukai LSC data set compares well with that of IntCal04, having a 14C age difference of 4.6 ± 5.3 14C yr on average, the Choukai LSC 14C ages indicate variability against the smoothed profile of IntCal04.

Radiocarbon ages of single-year tree rings were measured for Kaminoyama wood samples using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in 2 Japanese facilities, MALT and JAEA, in order to investigate the periodic variation of 14C concentrations relating to the 11-yr solar cycle near 26,000 yr BP. Eight sequential measurements of 14C ages were carried out for a set of 13 alternate single-year tree rings covering 26 yr. Averages of the 5 data sets in MALT and 3 data sets in JAEA were 22,146 ± 50 and 22,407 ± 58 14C yr BP, respectively, indicating an offset of 260 ± 77 14C yr. Multiple sequential measurements are advantageous for evaluating offsets. The standard deviation of the residuals of 14C ages from the averages in each data set was 118 14C yr, in contrast to that of 234 14C yr for the combined data sets due to an elimination effect in the offsets. The profiles of weighted mean values for the residuals of 14C ages showed similar enhancements with a width of ∼12 yr for measurements in the 2 facilities. This indicates the reproducibility of the multiple sequential measurements. In the profile for the combined 8 data sets, the 14C enhancement was 73 ± 36 14C yr from the average.

We measured the radiocarbon ages of 165 single-year tree rings from a Japanese Choukai Jindai cedar using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). By wiggle-matching the Choukai_AMS data set to the IntCal04 calibration data using OxCal v 3.10 and using the variation of the correlation coefficients between the Choukai_AMS and IntCal04 data sets, we precisely re-estimated that the 321 Choukai Jindai cedar tree rings range from 780 to 460 cal BC with an accuracy of 8 yr. The Choukai_AMS data set is older than the 3 raw data sets of European tree rings that comprise IntCal04. The Belfast and Seattle data sets are younger by −21.3 ± 5.5 and −22.7 ± 5.6 14C yr, respectively. The Choukai Jindai cedar is ∼22 14C yr older than the European tree rings, which is equivalent to an offset of −2.8‰ in 14C. In addition, the Choukai_AMS data set correlates well with the Belfast and Seattle data sets, with correlation coefficients of 0.89 and 0.68, respectively, between the temporal profiles. Hence, the temporal profile of the Choukai 14C ages shows a global variation.

We have measured the radiocarbon ages of 43 consecutive single-year tree rings using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) with a statistical accuracy of ∼2.3%. AMS 14C ages of the 36 viable samples are between 2708 and 2666 cal BP, a period in which the Δ14C of the IntCal04 curve (Reimer et al. 2004) shows an enhancement. The 14C ages of the samples are scattered with a Gaussian distribution around the interpolated IntCal04 calibration curve. The time profile of the deviations of the 36 14C ages from the interpolated IntCal04 calibration curve indicates a linear trend and a characteristic variability rather than a random fluctuation around the curve. The trend indicates a higher gradient than that of the interpolated IntCal04 calibration curve. The profile implies a periodic variation of approximately 11 yr and an amplitude of roughly 18 14C yr.

Radiocarbon ages of 8 decadal tree rings and 66 single-yr tree rings have been measured with a highly accurate liquid scintillation counting (LSC) system (0.2% error) after synthesizing 10.5 g of benzene for each α-cellulose sample produced from tree rings of Choukai Jindai cedar in Japan (39°N). The 14C ages were between 2449 and 2539 14C yr BP for the 21 samples. From the wiggle-matching of the data set using the IntCal04 (Reimer et al. 2004) calibration data in OxCal v 3.10 (Bronk Ramsey 2005), the estimated age of the outer edge of the Choukai tree rings was 477.5 BC (±12.5 yr) with a confidence level of 95.5%; hence, the Choukai tree rings range from 2757 to 2437 cal BP. The age indicates an improved eruption date of the Choukai Volcano. The statistical errors at 1 σ are approximately ± 10 and ± 7 14C yr for the 5-yr data and the decadal data from the single-yr measurements, respectively. For the interval between 2580 and 2520 cal BP, it is statistically significant that the Choukai 14C ages are ∼16 14C yr older on average than both the IntCal04 and QL German oak (∼50°N) data sets. The ∼2.0% offset is informative for the study of regional offset in the Far East.

SPICA is a cooled, single large-mirror space-telescope, which is under discussion as an succsesor of the ASTRO-F mission. One of the most ambitious challenges of the SPICA mission is the direct observations of exoplanets with a coronagraph instrument. We report cryogenic infrared optics to realize high quality wavefronts for the SPICA coronagraph.

The SPICA satellite will be launched by an H-IIA rocket to Sun-Earth L2 Halo orbit early in the 2010s. The SPICA telescope is a Ritchey-Chretien optics with 3.5m diameter primary mirror, and cooled down to 4.5 K in orbit by radiation cooling and mechanical cryo-coolers. Main working wavelengths are 5–200 micron. Advantages of the SPICA coronagraph are the infrared wavelenths where the contrast between planets and central stars are smaller than the optical wavelengths, and that the cooled space telescope consists of monolithic mirrors.

Development of light-weight cooled telescope is one of the most important tasks to realize SPICA. At the present, sintered SiC and carbon fiber reinforced SiC (C/SiC) composite are candidate materials for the mirrors, truss, and optical bench. For these materials, estimations and improvements of basic property and surface roughness in cryogenic temperatures have been carried out. Deformation of trial product mirrors by cooling is also examined.

We are developing cryogenic deformable mirrors (DMs) because wave front accuracy of the SPICA telescope is 0.35 micron RMS, which is not enough for our coronagraphic instrument. For MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) DM and some others, measurements of thermal deformation by cooling, electrical response, and heat generation are undergoing. Developments of a tip-tilt system for cryogenic usage started to cancel vibration caused by the cryo-coolers and other components and to realize a diffraction limit resolution. The first result of our binary mask coronagraph experiment is also shown.