The Scout Report for Science & Engineering - July 22, 1998


The Scout Report for Science & Engineering

July 22, 1998

A Publication of the Internet Scout Project
Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The target audience of the new Scout Report for Science & Engineering is faculty, students, staff, and librarians in the life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. Each biweekly issue offers a selective collection of Internet resources covering topics in the sciences, and related fields such as math and engineering, that have been chosen by librarians and content specialists in the given field of study.

The Scout Report for Science & Engineering is also provided via email once every two weeks. Subscription information is included at the bottom of each issue.

In This Issue
* Research * Current Awareness
* Learning Resources * New Data
* General Interest * In the News

Research
Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters
http://www.electrochem.org/letters.html
Free through 1998, Letters is published by the Electrochemical Society and the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers. An international nonprofit, educational, organization, the Electrochemical Society is "concerned with a broad range of phenomena relating to electrochemical and solid state science and technology." Online articles are identical to those in print, but they are available in a more timely fashion. [KH]
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Checklist of Online Vegetation and Plant Distribution Maps
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/branner/vegmaps.htm
Stanford University Libraries' Branner Earth Sciences Library and Map Collections has made available this incredible resource of online vegetation and plant distribution maps. Under each classified area (world, continent, or region), users will find hyperlinked titles and brief descriptions of Web sites offering vegetation distribution information. Most of the world's forests are covered here, with many protected areas highlighted. This massive effort will reap rewards for those who take the time to explore. In addition to the extensive listings of plant distribution sites, a final section, Other Sites, offers a compilation of cartographic links for botanists and an internet directory for botany. [LXP]
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Natural Attenuation Tool Kit
http://members.aol.com/jacrosby1/index.htm
Created by Julie Crosby, this site provides information and links to agencies and companies concerned with environmental remediation, in particular by natural attenuation. Although some sections are still under construction, Products provides interested parties with links to software and field applications. The Papers section contains four technical papers and six regulatory papers plus two publication metasites maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Other areas of interest at the site include links to government agencies and a list of conferences, updated regularly. [KH]
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The Chesapeake Bay Bolide Impact: A New View of Coastal Plain Evolution--USGS
http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/epubs/bolide/
This site, from the US Geological Survey, describes the "spectacular geological event" that took place about 35 million years ago on the Atlantic margin of North America. "A bolide (comet or asteroid), 3-5 kilometers in diameter, swooped through the Earth's atmosphere and blasted an enormous crater into the continental shelf." Discovery of the giant crater in the Chesapeake Bay area "has completely revised our understanding of Atlantic Coastal Plain evolution." The site discusses and reviews the bolide impact emphasizing its relationship to land subsidence, ground instability, disruption of coastal aquifers, river diversion, and the location of Chesapeake Bay. [LXP]
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Center for Algal Microscopy and Image Digitization
http://www.BGSU.edu/departments/biology/algae/index.html
Provided by Bowling Green State University, the Center for Algal Microscopy and Image Digitization is a gateway to more than 185 digitized images, most of which are "light images of cleaned diatoms." Archived by collection site (The Procter and Gamble Experimental Stream Facility, Big Darby Creek, and Bixby State Preserve), light images range from Achnanthidium clevei to Synedra ulna. The site also archives diatom scanning electron micrographs. [LXP]
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Learning Resources
Geology and the Environment-An Internet-Based Resource Guide
http://www.hic.net/hicpersonal/j/jbutler/update/cit.htm
This internet-based resource guide contains all the links cited in the print version of the same name, a "companion text for Geology and the Environment" by Pipkin and Trent. This impressive, internet-based guide contains text, graphics, and in some cases, slide shows for over 100 resources in 24 categories, including environmental geology, water, and remote sensing. [KH]
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Second Nature
http://www.secondnature.org/
Second Nature is a nonprofit organization designed to help colleges and universities make environmental sustainability a "foundation of learning and practice." A basic premise of Second Nature is that "moving society on a sustainable path will require major changes in the process and content of higher education." The newly updated site offers current EFS (Education for Sustainability) resources for teachers and educators, including dozens of examples of teaching methods and techniques, a bibliography of over 1800 educational resources, examples of 250 course syllabi, and a collection of essays and publications. The site also allows users to communicate with educators via the bulletin board or browse upcoming events on the Calendar. [LXP]
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The FHS Precalculus Study Page
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/2426/
The Precalculus Study Page covers fifteen different topics to help students better understand the precalculus concepts such as functions or derivatives and slope. Each section begins with an explanation of the topic and then follows up with sample problems, diagrams, and solutions. The site also contains quizzes, puzzles, Web rings, and links to other mathematics study sites. [KH]
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Fish FAQ
http://www.wh.whoi.edu/faq/
The Northeast Fisheries Science Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service provides this wonderful site offering a myriad of answers to frequently asked fish questions. If your questions include "Do fish sleep?" or "How does a scallop move?" or "What is 'tomalley'?", you are sure to find the answers here--as well as many other fascinating fish facts. Answers are thorough, and many are accompanied by color graphics, tables, and photographs to illustrate principles and provide examples. [LXP]
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General Interest
Green Web of Knowledge
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/ala/index.html
One responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency is to provide the public with information about the environment. Stressing the theory that individuals can make a difference, this site from the Great Lakes National Program Office provides information for individuals. Within the Home and Garden section, citizens can learn about how to conserve water and energy, landscape naturally, and create a healthy home. Resources for concerned community members, planners, and educators within the Great Lakes region are highlighted under the Community section. The Webs of Life section informs visitors about the Great Lakes ecosystem, in general, and ozone depletion and wetlands preservation, in particular. Librarian's Links provides a categorized listing of EPA resources on the internet. [KH]
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Canadian Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Network (CARCN)
http://www.cciw.ca/ecowatch/dapcan/
The Canadian Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Network (CARCN) provides information on the biology and conservation of Canada's frogs, toads, and salamanders. Four sections form the substance of the site: Amphibian Biology, Key to Canadian Amphibians, Tour of Canadian Amphibians, and Amphibian Decline Issues. Descriptive information includes frog calls and distribution maps, as well as photographs of species. Additional sections describe CARCN and challenge users to test their knowledge via The Great Canadian Amphibian & Reptile Quiz. [LXP]
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Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics
http://www.awsem.com/
Since 1994, Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (AWSWEM) has worked "to kindle and support young women's interest in science, engineering, mathematics and technology". The AWSEM homepage provides access to the organization's newsletter, gender equity facts and resources, monthly features, online resources, and other AWSEM activities. [KH]
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State of the Land--USDA/NRCS
http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/land/home.html
This excellent new site, from the US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, "provides data on land use and change, soil erosion and soil quality, water quality, wetlands, and other issues regarding the conservation and use of natural resources on non-Federal land in the United States." The site is searchable by keyword and is organized into five main sections: People on the Land; Analysis Maps & Publications; Water Quality, Wetlands; Cropping, Grazing Land; and NRCS National Conservation Priorities. Each main section offers further information on that topic, and hyperlinks take readers to related sites. [LXP]
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Current Awareness
(For links to additional current awareness on tables of contents, abstracts, preprints, new books, data, conferences, etc., visit the Science & Engineering Current Awareness Metapage: http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/sci-engr/metapage/).

Scientific American: Current Issue
http://www.sciam.com/currentissue.html
One of the leading journals in the country, Scientific American, offers highlights from the upcoming journal issue on its Current Issue page. The page offers full-text of select Articles, a section on Working Knowledge, scientific News and Analysis, the Amateur Scientist, Reviews, Commentaries, and a historical section entitled, From the Editors. Current full-text feature articles include "Irrigating Crops with Seawater," "Fusion and the Z-Pinch," and "A Quarter-Century of Recreational Mathematics." For researchers, students, and educators alike, this page keeps the pulse on new scientific information. [LXP]
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What is Happening to Academic Employment of Scientists and Engineers?--NSF
http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/issuebrf/sib98312.htm
A 'brief' from the National Science Foundation (NSF), this article details the employment fate of doctoral scientists and engineers from 1973-1995. Tables and figures supply summary data in addition to full text. [KH]
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New Publications and Reports
Nomenclature of Fused and Bridged Fused Ring Systems
http://www.chem.qmw.ac.uk/iupac/fusedring/
The online version of an article which first appeared in Pure and Applied Chemistry, this site presents the recommended rules for naming fused and bridged fused rings systems. The document is divided into an introduction, nine chapters, references, and two appendices. [KH]

Best Practices Summary Report from the Engineering Education Innovators Conference--NSF
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf9892/start.htm
Sponsored by the Engineering Education and Centers Division of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Innovators conference met to discuss engineering education. The conference proceedings are now online. [KH]

Draft Guidelines for Establishing the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas
http://www.erin.gov.au/marine/marine_protected/guidlnes.pdf
The Portfolio Marine Group, Environment Australia, has produced these draft guidelines for establishing "a national system of marine protected areas which contains representative samples of Australia's marine ecosystems." Spare in detail but broad in scope, the guidelines of this ambitious and important project emerge from the Marine Group's mission to "promote ecologically sustainable management of Australia's coastal and marine resources." [LXP]

3D PTV and its application on Lagrangian motion [.pdf, Gzipped PostScript]
http://www.iop.org/EJ/S/1/NWI770978/?MIval=abstract&opt=,&key=0957-0233,8,12,mt1997008120017
This article has been made available to all net users by Measurement Science and Technology, a journal dedicated to "the theory, practice and application of measurement in physics, chemistry, engineering and the environmental and life sciences from inception to commercial exploitation." The paper (in .pdf and Gzipped PostScript formats) discusses three-dimensional particle tracking velocimetry (3D PTV), "a flow measurement technique for the determination of velocity vectors and trajectories within a three-dimensional observation volume." [LXP]

Press Releases of Science Journal Articles and Subsequent Newspaper Stories on the Same Topic--JAMA
http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/journals/archive/jama/vol_280/no_3/jpv80001.htm
This recent article from Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) documents how scientific news is made and perpetuated. The authors found evidence that "journal articles described in press releases, in particular those described first or second in the press release, are associated with the subsequent publication of newspaper stories on the same topic." Though not a surprising result, the article offers insights into why and what the public considers important in science. [LXP]
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Jobs
Job Openings in Science and Technology from the Chronicle of Higher Education
http://thisweek.chronicle.com/.ads/.ads-by-group/.faculty/.scitech/.links.html
[JS]

Scientific Computing Jobs
http://www.iop.org/SCJobs/main
The Institute of Physics provides this collection of job postings. The postings, which include a wide variety of physics and computing jobs, can be searched via latest vacancies, by keyword and type of institution (academic or commercial), or browsed by date posted. [KH]

Opportunities--Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund
http://www.earthjustice.org/about/opps.html
Formerly Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, the non-profit organization Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund lists job and internship opportunities currently in Alaska, California, Colorado, District of Colombia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, and Washington. Most listings are for legal positions; a brief summary and contact information accompany each entry. [LXP]
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Funding
NSF-CNPq Collaborative Research Opportunities for FY 1998 (CISE)
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf98139/nsf98139.htm
This program, a joint venture of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) of Brazil, aims to increase collaborative research between scientists in Brazil and the United States. Funding is available for research, workshops, and visiting faculty positions. Complete submission details are available at the site. Proposals are due the first Friday in October. [KH]

Funding Opportunities--Community of science (COS)
http://fundingopps.cos.com/
The Community of Science (COS) offers this searchable database of funding opportunities. The database may be searched (or browsed) in its entirety by opportunities in Canada or by specific discipline(s), which are broken into Biomedical and Health Sciences, Science & Technology/Mathematics/Computer Science, Agriculture and Food Sciences, Arts/Humanities, Behavioral/Social Sciences, Education, Engineering, Energy, Law, and Other. Typical returns include title, sponsor, deadline, requirements, contact information, and several other fields. A special feature, Faculty Match, allows university-based users to 1)identify funding sources related to their field(s) of interest, and 2)identify researchers and potential collaborators from their own university, who may also "fit" the field of interest. [LXP]
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Conferences and Courses
30th Annual Meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/dps98/
The Division for Planetary Sciences will hold its annual meeting in Madison, Wisconsin on October 11-16, 1998. Registration and general information is provided at the site. Note that the abstract submission deadline is August 10. [LXP]

Coastal Zone '99
http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~cz99/
Coastal Zone '99 will be held in San Diego, California between July 24-30, 1999. The conference aims "to reach-out to a broad range of domestic and international participants, and to encourage them to address the increasing challenges of coastal zone management by sharing lessons learned from the past and by identifying innovative and effective approaches for solving unresolved issues in the future." The conference will focus on four major themes: Human Dimension, Ocean Realm, Watershed Perspective, and Public Connection. Sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the call for papers extends until August 1, 1998. Registration information is available on site. [LXP]

Getting Started Creating On-Line Courses
http://www.aln.org/alnws/september98/
Presented by the Asynchronous Learning Networks, this online workshop will teach educators how to create Web pages for classes and how to take full advantage of the multimedia capabilities offered by the Internet. The course begins September 9 and runs through October 23, 1998. [KH]

1998 ASBMB Fall Symposia Preliminary Announcement and Call for Papers
http://www.faseb.org/meetings/asbmb/fall98/index.html
The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) will host four fall symposia, including Protein Kinase C and Cellular Function on October 9-12 at Granlibakken, Lake Tahoe, California; Regulation of Bone Formation on October 16-19 at Sagebrush Inn, Taos, New Mexico; Phosphoryl Transfer: A Molecular Basis for Signaling on October 23-26 at Granlibakken, Lake Tahoe, California; and Membrane Biogenesis on October 30-November 2, also at Granlibakken, Lake Tahoe, California. Registration information is available on site. All abstracts are due August 14, 1998. [LXP]
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New Data
Pacific Sea-Floor Mapping
http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/pacmaps/index.html
These maps, created by the US Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with two universities and other US Federal Agencies, provide a glimpse into the bathymetry of the seafloor surrounding San Francisco, Santa Monica, and the Hawaiian Islands. Images include back scatter, shaded relief, stereo relief, and a perspective view. Note that 3-D viewing glasses are needed to properly view the stereo relief images. Also note that only back scatter and shaded relief images are available for the Hawaiian Islands. [KH]
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BioMedLink
http://www.biomednet.com/db/biomedlink
Biological and medical researchers will find BioMedLink, the new database provided by BioMedNet and Indiana University, an invaluable tool. Free to all registered users, the database contains hyperlinked annotations of more than 4,000 web sites, all of which have been evaluated by an expert editorial board of doctors and professors. Searching the database is made easier by the wealth of options; for example, users may exclude low-rated sites or restrict searches to certain specialties or fields. Users may also browse the database, which is organized by type of resource (i.e. funding, database, educational resource, etc.), model organism, biological specialty, or medical specialty. A special section, New Listings, highlights recently added sites. [TK]
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Electron Interactions for perfluoropropane
http://www.eeel.nist.gov/811/refdata/c3f8/c3f8.html
The National Institute of Standards and Technology provides "electron collision data for gases used in the plasma processing of semiconductor devices." This project is jointly sponsored by the Standard Reference Data Program (SRDP), the National Semiconductor Metrology Program (NSMP), and the Electricity Division of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory (EEEL). Electron data for perfluoropropane have recently been added to this reference Web site; click on the table hyperlinks for more complete descriptions and details of the data. [KH]
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Porphyromonas gingivalis Genome Sequence--TIGR
ftp://ftp.tigr.org/pub/data/p_gingivalis/
The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) has announced the release of the Porphyromonas gingivalis genome sequence. Data, which are still unedited and may contain errors, can be downloaded from the ftp site in compressed form. [LXP]
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In the News
Ice
1. Virtual Antarctica
http://www.terraquest.com/antarctica/
2. Changes in the Antarctic Ice Sheet
http://octopus.gma.org/surfing/antarctica/ice.html
3. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative
http://igloo.gsfc.nasa.gov/wais/
4. Glacier
http://www.glacier.rice.edu/
5. Office of Polar Programs
http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/
6. Sea Ice Voyage '98
http://learnz.icair.iac.org.nz/98/index.htm
7. Europa homepage
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/europa/
8. Galileo - Countdown to Europa 16
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/countdown/index.html
9. Historical CO2 records from the Law Dome DE08, DE08-2, and DSS ice cores
http://cdiac.ESD.ORNL.GOV/trends/co2/lawdome.html
When a chunk of ice "twice the size of Manhattan" broke away from the northernmost part of the Antarctic Peninsula in February, ice was at the forefront of scientific news. Now, with the spectacular discovery of bacteria in Antarctic ice and with new evidence of slush beneath the frozen surface of Jupiter's moon Europa, water in its frozen form is once again in the news. The discovery of living organisms in the Antarctic ecosystem, described in the June 26, 1998 issue of Science, is significant because it presents a model for "how life may have arisen and persisted on other worlds." Scientists speculate that if organisms can thrive in the hard ice of Antarctica, they may possibly have done so on Europa and Mars. Galileo's closest approach to Europa occurred on July 21, 1998, offering new images of ice in space. The nine sites listed above offer insights and details of the recent findings and discoveries related to ice.

1) Covering ecology, science, and history, Virtual Antarctica contains images (including a full map of the continent) and introductory information related to Antarctica and Antarctic ice. 2) The Gulf of Maine Aquarium provides this educational site on Changes in the Antarctic Ice Sheet, including a 12-month sequence animation of the Antarctic ice sheet. 3) The homepage for the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative, a "multidisciplinary study of rapid climate change and future sea level," includes links to recent news highlights, a bibliography, and information about how climate change affects polar ice sheets. 4) Glacier is an educational effort by Rice University to bring awareness to the Antarctic landscape and environment. The comprehensive site informs visitors on the science of and threats to the Antarctic environment. 5) From aeronomy and astrophysics to glaciology, the Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation coordinates research related to the Antarctic and Arctic circles. The program's homepage provides access to information about current research projects, links, and details about how citizens can participate in polar research. 6) Sea Ice Voyage '98 is a joint effort by the National Science Foundation and the International Antarctic Center in New Zealand. The Voyage takes viewers on a guided tour of Antarctica, with learning opportunities at every step of the journey. The homepage also includes an extensive list of Antarctic internet resources. 7) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) hosts the Europa homepage, which collects all information related to Jupiter's smallest moon. 8) "Galileo: Countdown to Europa 16" is NASA's hour-by-hour news source following Galileo's orbital approach to Europa. 9) The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center provides this last site, offering historical CO2 data from three East Antarctica ice cores, obtained between 1987 and 1993. Data include ice depth, ice age year, mean air age, and CO2 mixing ratio. The hard data, derived data, and graphics are available at the site. [KH]
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The Scout Report for Science & Engineering
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The Scout Report for Science & Engineering is published every other Wednesday by the Internet Scout Project, located in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Computer Sciences.

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