National Institute of Information and Communications Technology

About: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology is a facility organization based out in Tokyo, Tôkyô, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Machine translation & Laser. The organization has 2850 authors who have published 10549 publications receiving 156164 citations. The organization is also known as: NICT & Jōhō Tsūshin Kenkyū Kikō.

The Global Precipitation Measurement Mission

Abstract: Precipitation affects many aspects of our everyday life. It is the primary source of freshwater and has significant socioeconomic impacts resulting from natural hazards such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, and landslides. Fundamentally, precipitation is a critical component of the global water and energy cycle that governs the weather, climate, and ecological systems. Accurate and timely knowledge of when, where, and how much it rains or snows is essential for understanding how the Earth system functions and for improving the prediction of weather, climate, freshwater resources, and natural hazard events. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission is an international satellite mission specifically designed to set a new standard for the measurement of precipitation from space and to provide a new generation of global rainfall and snowfall observations in all parts of the world every 3 h. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) ...

Autophagosomes form at ER–mitochondria contact sites

Abstract: This study shows that autophagosomes form at sites of contact between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and that formation requires the SNARE protein syntaxin 17.

Field test of quantum key distribution in the Tokyo QKD Network

Abstract: A secure communication network with quantum key distribution in a metropolitan area is reported. Six different QKD systems are integrated into a mesh-type network. GHz-clocked QKD links enable us to demonstrate the world-first secure TV conferencing over a distance of 45km. The network includes a commercial QKD product for long-term stable operation, and application interface to secure mobile phones. Detection of an eavesdropper, rerouting into a secure path, and key relay via trusted nodes are demonstrated in this network.

Four-component scattering model for polarimetric SAR image decomposition

Abstract: A four-component scattering model is proposed to decompose polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. The covariance matrix approach is used to deal with the nonreflection symmetric scattering case. This scheme includes and extends the three-component decomposition method introduced by Freeman and Durden dealing with the reflection symmetry condition that the co-pol and the cross-pol correlations are close to zero. Helix scattering power is added as the fourth component to the three-component scattering model which describes surface, double bounce, and volume scattering. This helix scattering term is added to take account of the co-pol and the cross-pol correlations which generally appear in complex urban area scattering and disappear for a natural distributed scatterer. This term is relevant for describing man-made targets in urban area scattering. In addition, asymmetric volume scattering covariance matrices are introduced in dependence of the relative backscattering magnitude between HH and VV. A modification of probability density function for a cloud of dipole scatterers yields asymmetric covariance matrices. An appropriate choice among the symmetric or asymmetric volume scattering covariance matrices allows us to make a best fit to the measured data. A four-component decomposition algorithm is developed to deal with a general scattering case. The result of this decomposition is demonstrated with L-band Pi-SAR images taken over the city of Niigata, Japan.

The infrared astronomical mission AKARI

Abstract: AKARI, the first Japanese satellite dedicated to infrared astronomy, was launched on 2006 February 21, and started observations in May of the same year. AKARI has a 68.5 cm cooled telescope, together with two focal-plane instruments, which survey the sky in six wavelength bands from mid- to far-infrared. The instruments also have a capability for imaging and spectroscopy in the wavelength range 2-180 mu m in the pointed observation mode, occasionally inserted into a continuous survey operation. The in-orbit cryogen lifetime is expected to be one and a half years. The All-Sky Survey will cover more than 90% of the whole sky with a higher spatial resolution and a wider wavelength coverage than that of the previous IRAS all-sky survey. Point-source catalogues of the All-Sky Survey will be released to the astronomical community. Pointed observations will be used for deep surveys of selected sky areas and systematic observations of important astronomical targets. These will become an additional future heritage of this mission.