Coalbed Methane [.pdf]
http://www.doi.gov/coalbed/
The US Department of Interior Web site offers a hot topics section that currently includes information about coalbed methane. The links include a fact sheet entitled "Coalbed Methane--An Untapped Energy Resource and an Environmental Concern." A documents link takes visitors to a page maintained by Wyoming's Bureau of Land Management that contains several reports related to the topic, including information about Atlantic Rim Coalbed Methane Projects and Coalbed Methane and Water Monitor Well Data. Lastly, the page contains statements by Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management for the US Department of Interior, Rebecca Watson, on related energy topics that are also worth exploring.
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Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Program [.pdf]
http://www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/erosion.html
The General Land Office of Texas, the state's oldest agency, strives to balance economic development with preservation of its natural resources. The Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Program of the agency has an interesting Web site with information about the state's shorelines and its continuous efforts to slow erosion and maintain its beaches. Although many of the links on the page are about specific programs and regulations related to coastal erosion, the site also offers a new document entitled "Historical Shoreline Change on Big Reef Galveston Island," maps that document the changes, current digital photographs of the coast, a glossary of beach and erosion terms, and more.
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Explore the Universe [Flash, QuickTime]
http://www.nasm.si.edu/galleries/gal111/universe/
The new online exhibit, Explore the Universe, is provided by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The site "presents the major discoveries that have given us our current scientific view of the universe, illustrates how the universe is taking shape and probes the mysteries that remain." The exhibit, which is especially interesting when viewed with necessary browsers and multimedia software, delves into the history of space exploration from Galileo and the earliest ideas about the universe to the digital technology of today. The visually stunning exhibit should be enjoyable to explore and offers people of all ages a great way to learn about the human need to know what lies beyond.
[JAB]
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Browse Our Digital Map Collection
http://library.berkeley.edu/EART/browse.html
Presented by the University of California Berkeley's (UCB) Earth Sciences and Map Library, the Browse Our Digital Map Collection Web site lets visitors do just that. Several thousand scanned maps from the collection are available and can be searched via the UCB Library Pathfinder program. After orientating oneself to the peculiarities of the search program, which seems more daunting than it actually is, the vast collection can be accessed quite easily. The extensive aerial photographs, historical maps, and other similar offerings make the search worth the effort.
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STS-112
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/
The October 7, 2002 liftoff of the Space Shuttle Atlantis for the mission dedicated as STS-112 occurred without a hitch. The NASA Human Spaceflight Web site gives up-to-date information on what the shuttle and its crew is up to. The mission included several spacewalks to further the construction of the International Space Station, as well as the first ever external camera view of the launch from the shuttle itself. The site offers several links to articles, photographs, and other multimedia material, which chronicle the often underappreciated scientific achievements taking place in space.
[JAB]
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Quasicrystals
http://www.jcrystal.com/steffenweber/
Created by Dr.Steffen Weber, the Quasicrystals Web site provides an introduction to this relatively new field of crystallography. Although much of the site is highly technical, those interested in related subjects will find exploring the thorough descriptions and interactive Java applets rewarding. The introduction explains what quasicrystals are, their types, experimental techniques, morphology, and more. The Crystal Gallery link provides the most unique offering of the site, which allows users to view three-dimensional crystal shapes, move them through space, and change their appearance. Other links include publications, software, teaching aids, and more.
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Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science
http://gulfsci.usgs.gov/
The US Geological Survey Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science Web site contains information on the collaborative project being undertaken to assess and monitor Gulf of Mexico estuaries. "The key to understanding complex estuarine systems lies in understanding the interactions between geological framework and biological, geochemical and hydrological processes." The site provides information on the Tampa Bay pilot study, Galveston Bay Wetland Inventory Project, and the Atchafalaya and Mississippi River Delta Study. Other interesting links lead visitors to maps and aerial photographs of the areas, photo tours, reports, posters, and more. Anyone living near or interested in these unique habitats will find the site a good source of information.
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El Nino
http://www.msc.ec.gc.ca/education/elNino/index_e.cfm
Offered by Environment Canada, the natural resources arm of the Canadian Government, the El Nino informational Web site explores the enigmatic weather phenomenon. The site includes El Nino history and science, Canadian and worldwide effects, its current status and forecast, and La Nina facts, as well as links to further information. The Comparing El Nino page offers tables listing the years of onset of El Nino and La Nina years and links to sites containing regional information. The easy to understand descriptions and attractive graphics and animations make the site accessible to a wide range of audiences. This site is also reviewed in the October 18, 2002 Scout Report.
[JAB]
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