In this study we characterized the relationship between temperature and mortality in central Arizona desert cities that have an extremely hot climate. Relationships between daily maximum apparent temperature (ATmax) and mortality for eight condition-specific causes and all-cause deaths were modeled for all residents and separately for males and females ages <65 and ≥65 during the months May–October for years 2000–2008. The most robust relationship was between ATmax on day of death and mortality from direct exposure to high environmental heat. For this condition-specific cause of death, the heat thresholds in all gender and age groups (ATmax = 90–97 °F; 32.2‒36.1 °C) were below local median seasonal temperatures in the study period (ATmax = 99.5 °F; 37.5 °C). Heat threshold was defined as ATmax at which the mortality ratio begins an exponential upward trend. Thresholds were identified in younger and older females for cardiac disease/stroke mortality (ATmax = 106 and 108 °F; 41.1 and 42.2 °C) with a one-day lag. Thresholds were also identified for mortality from respiratory diseases in older people (ATmax = 109 °F; 42.8 °C) and for all-cause mortality in females (ATmax = 107 °F; 41.7 °C) and males <65 years (ATmax = 102 °F; 38.9 °C). Heat-related mortality in a region that has already made some adaptations to predictable periods of extremely high temperatures suggests that more extensive and targeted heat-adaptation plans for climate change are needed in cities worldwide.

Calculated level energies for valence and K-vacancy states are provided for the ion series S VII - S XIV and Ar IX - Ar XVI. The calculations were performed with the relativistic Multi-Reference Mxller-Plesset Perturbation Theory method (MR-MP). The data set includes all the level energies with configurations 1s22(s, p)q, 1s22(s, p)q−1nl, 1s12(s, p)q+1, 1s12(s, p)qnl, 2(s, p)q+2 and 2(s, p)q+1nl, where 1 ≤ q ≤ 8, n ≤ 5 and l ≤ 3. We have compared our results with data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on-line database and with previous calculations. The average deviation of valence level energies ranges from 0.16 eV in Ne-like ions to 0.01 eV in Li-like ions, showing that the present MR-MP valence level energies are highly accurate. In the case of K-vacancy states, the deviation is generally below 0.3 eV for Li-like S XIV and Ar XVI. The deviation for K-vacancy energies in other L-shell ions (Be-, B-, C-, N- and O-like Ar ions) is higher but likely because the NIST-recommended values have a higher uncertainty. The data set includes many n = 4 and n = 5 valence and K-vacancy levels in L-shell ions of S and Ar not previously reported. The data can be used for line identification and modeling of L-shell ions of S and Ar in astrophysical and laboratory-generated plasmas, and as energy references in the absence of more accurate laboratory measurements.

A comprehensive set of level energies is provided for the valence and K-vacancy states of the ions Fe xvii, Fe xviii, Fe xix, Fe xx, Fe xxi, Fe xxii, Fe xxiii, and Fe xxiv. Level energies were calculated with the relativistic Multi-Reference Møller–Plesset Perturbation Theory method (MR-MP). The data set includes level energies coming from the configurations , , , , , and , where 1 ≤ q ≤ 8, n ≤ 5, and l ≤ 3. The results have been compared with data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) online database and with previous calculations. In general, the deviation from the NIST-recommended values is below 0.6 and 1.0 eV for valence and K-vacancy level energies, respectively. However, we identify numerous outliers among the NIST-recommended values. The extensive data set presented here greatly augments the amount of available reference level energies in the NIST database for L-shell ions of Fe, and we expect our data set to ease line identification and confirm level designations.