The Scout Report for Science & Engineering - December 8, 1999

December 8, 1999

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

Learning Resources

General Interest

Current Awareness

New Data

In The News


Research

Multiscale Experimental Ecosystem Research Center (MEERC)
http://www.hpel.cees.edu/meerc/
Based at the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science, the mission of MEERC (Multiscale Experimental Ecosystem Research Center) is "to contribute to the fundamental understanding of the scale-dependent behavior of experimental and natural estuarine ecosystems, so that research information can be extrapolated systematically among experimental ecosystems and nature, and among natural ecosystems of different dimensions." Five major research projects are described at the homepage for the period 1998-2000, including Scaling Trophic Interactions in Pelagic Estuarine Ecosystems and Ecotoxicology and Issues of Scale, among others. The site also includes recent research highlights, a hyperlinked list of participating research labs, an impressive list of recent scientific publications and reports, and a selection of related links. [LXP]
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Columbia Earthscape
http://www.earthscape.org/
Created by Columbia University and the Columbia University Press, and boasting a highly distinguished advisory board, this site aims to "select, gather, and link the widest range of on-line resources available" for researchers, teachers, students, and decision makers involved in the Earth sciences. While access to the site requires a subscription, Columbia Earthscape is currently offering a free 30-day trial, which begins the day following completion of an online form. The site itself is divided into four sections including Research, Education, Links & Resources, and Earth Affairs Magazine. Within Research, the Papers and Conferences section offers lectures, seminars, and working papers "selected in consultation with the Earthscape advisory board to disseminate research on a changing Earth." The Data and Database component contains access to the World Data Center which integrates geophysical, ecological, and socioeconomic data. The Links & Resources section features first-rate links across Earth science disciplines and issues. Finally, Earth Affairs Magazine offers articles centered around Earth science themes. Note, the site is still in the development stage and is looking for program collaborators. [KR]
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Coleoptera
http://www2.sel.barc.usda.gov/Coleoptera/col-home.htm
Roughly "one in four animals" on earth is a beetle. However, many species still remain undescribed. This resource, from the US Department of Agriculture's Systematic Entomology Library (SEL), houses half a dozen Internet-based resources on Coleoptera. Resources are solid but vary in depth. The collection of sites covers wide ground: Leaf chafer scarabs, a complete online Handbook of Palearctic Flea Beetles, Elaphidiini Beetles ("a large tribe of primarily nocturnal longhorned woodboring beetles"), Coleoptera (museum) collections, and two sites on Coleoptera researchers. The combined information from these sites on Coleoptera represents a solid online resource for researchers, educators, and students. [LXP]
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American Journal of Mathematics
http://www.jstor.org/journals/00029327.html
JSTOR: Participating Institutions
http://www.jstor.org/about/participants_na.html
Back issues of the American Journal of Mathematics, published by Johns Hopkins University Press, have just been made available to researchers through JSTOR Journal Storage. Considered "the oldest mathematical journal in the western hemisphere," volumes 1-117, dating from 1878-1995, may be found here. JSTOR adds issues to the collection once they are three years old. Access is limited to participating institutions, a list of which can be found at the JSTOR site. [KR]
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Comparative Studies on the Macrofungi of China and Eastern North America
http://www.fmnh.org/research_collections/botany/botany_sites/US-China_macrofungi/default.htm
Although separated by a massive ocean for millions of years, eastern North America and eastern Asia share several species of fungi -- species which do not occur anywhere else. Drs. Qiuxin Wu and Gregory Mueller of the Department of Botany at The Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago) provide this interesting resource, comparing Macrofungi of these distinct regions. Four sections form the backbone of the site: the Project Description section gives an overview (including methods); Study Sites covers geographic and vegetative information for Chinese and US study sites; Images of Fungi includes over 30 excellent color photographs of fungi species (collected at the study sites); and the Publications section summarizes data from previous studies and includes a reference list of related scientific publications. A modest selection of links rounds out the site. [LXP]
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Chaos at Maryland [.ps, .tex, .zip, .tar, .tar.z, .pdf]
http://www-chaos.umd.edu/
US News and World Report has ranked the Maryland Chaos Group number one in the country (tied with University of Texas, Austin) for Non-linear Dynamics, or Chaos. Chaos is an interdisciplinary science founded on the idea that "nonlinear deterministic systems can behave in an apparently unpredictable and chaotic manner." The department's homepage has been divided into three main sections: General Info, Publications, and Pointers. The General Info section holds brief descriptions of the group's research interests as well as a Chaos Pictures Gallery. The publications section will be of most value to researchers as it contains general references, abstracts, and papers. The online papers (which come in a variety of formats) consist of preprints and published articles on bifurcations, fractal basin boundaries, quantum chaos, general chaos, and more. Papers and abstracts are searchable. The Pointers section contains links to other chaos related sites. [KR]
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Learning Resources

Scientific Literacy Resources -- AAAS
Project 2061
http://www.project2061.org/Pdp/index.html
"Science for All Americans OnLine"
http://www.project2061.org/tools/sfaaol/sfaatoc.htm
Launched in 1985 and dedicated to the educational changes we must make before Halley's Comet next returns to our skies, Project 2061 is a long-term effort to reform "science, mathematics, and technology education for the 21st century." The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) developed several panels of Project 2061 scientists, mathematicians, and technologists to redefine scientific literacy. Their integrated report, entitled "Science for All Americans," is available here. The Project 2061 homepage describes the ambitious scientific literacy project in full detail and includes links to a series of excellent online tools (click on Project 2061 Tools). The impressive report seeks to outline "what all high school graduates should know and be able to do in science, math, and technology and lays out principles for effective learning and teaching." For any educator committed to the improvement of scientific literacy, this is an essential resource. [LXP]
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ELEC 101: AC Circuits Overview [RealPlayer, PowerPoint]
http://edt.uow.edu.au/elec101-99/
From Dr. Parviz Doulai of the School of Electrical, Computer & Telecommunications Engineering, University of Wollongong, Australia, this site "delivers a 40 minute (25 slides) plain and synchronized streamed audio/image file" on the basics of AC Circuits. Topics covered include sinusoids, power, capacitive and inductive reactance, complex numbers, impedance, and series and parallel circuits. The tutorial requires RealPlayer (which may be downloaded at the site) and comes in four formats to accommodate for the performance of a user's computer. One of the four formats includes PowerPoint Slides with accompanying script. [KR]
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Two on Neurobiology
Fundamentals of Behavioral Neurobiology
http://artsci-ccwin.concordia.ca/psychology/psyc358/Default.htm
Milestones in Neuroscience Research
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/hist.html
Dr. Peter Shizgal of Concordia University, Canada, provides the first resource: notes for a course on "the functioning of the nervous system and the brain mechanisms underlying mind and behaviour." The detailed, hyperlinked lecture notes (from neurons to locomotion) contain the majority of the site's content; also check the selection of links to related resources. Dr. Eric Chudler of the University of Washington at Seattle supplies the second resource, a timeline of significance events in the history of neuroscience and a collection of references for resources that list and explicate such events. Users can access a wealth of information here, either through specific hyperlinks in the text or via the list of links at the bottom of the page. While neither resource could serve as a complete course on its own, both are useful supplements.
[LXP]
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Migrant.org: Science Department
http://www.migrant.org/Courses/departments/Science/science.html
Migrant.org: Mathematics Department
http://www.migrant.org/Courses/departments/Mathematics/mathematics.html
The Science and Mathematics Department pages from the Kentucky Migrant Technology Project's Online Courses represent a new Internet-based learning prototype which combines carefully planned online lessons with select educational Internet resources. The Science Department page includes pre-high school science courses as well as high school level Introduction to Chemistry and Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Earth/ Space Science courses. The Mathematics Department page contains courses for sixth- and seventh-grade Math, as well as high school Algebra I and II and Geometry. Lessons can be accessed without obligations, but to gain the full benefits of the program, students should register to take the tests. Eventually, this pilot program hopes that its online courses will be accepted by school systems around the country, and in this way, students may one day gain credit for satisfactorily completing a course. Through a developers's area, educators can apply to design courses of their own.
[KR]
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The Stream Study
http://wsrv.clas.virginia.edu/~sos-iwla/
Based on material developed by the Save Our Streams program (Izaak Walton League of America), this educational resource on streams is provided by the University of Virginia at Charlotteville. The Stream Study homepage is an online guide for determining the water quality of streams, based on collecting and identifying stream-bottom macroinvertebrates (e.g., crayfish, mussels, and larvae of aquatic insects). The resource includes an illustrated identification key for "common stream-bottom macroinvertebrates;" a classification of macroinvertebrates based on sensitivity to "pollution;" practice samples (to test your recently acquired knowledge); a glossary of terms; sampling procedures and forms; and links to additional information. Although the classification scheme presented here (re. pollution sensitivity) raises skepticism among some scientists, the resource is still worthwhile. Educators could use this information to create lab exercises, raise interesting points of discussion, and guide users through hands-on field/ lab experiences. [LXP]
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General Interest

Migratory Bird Conservancy
http://www.conservebirds.org/
The recently launched Migratory Bird Conservancy represents a unique partnership among birders, birding businesses, and the conservation community. Headed by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), this original and somewhat unusual initiative was established to facilitate public contributions to the goals and objectives of Partners in Flight. The mission of the Conservancy is to raise a minimum of $500,000 annually "to help conserve bird habitats throughout the Western Hemisphere." This site offers summary information on the Migratory Bird Conservancy (MBC), including how to apply for a MBC grant and how to make donations. For those interested in the future of migratory birds or in learning about conservation funding, this site will be of direct interest. [LXP]
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European Environment Agency
http://www.eea.eu.int/
The European Environment Agency (EEA) Website contains a huge selection of online environmental information, data, and reports pertaining to all fifteen EU states, as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein, and Norway. Information is organized by themes, and the site employs a powerful multilingual search feature. Themes include environmental issues, sectors and activities, information related to specific media, regions, and actions for environmental improvement. The site also contains EEA publications and reports, as well as a data service providing access to data sets covering at least all EU member states. Finally, the European Environment Information and Observation Network (EIONET) provides a network which "facilitates co-operation and flow of data and information between EIONET partners and with the EEA." The EEA Website is a large, research-oriented repository of information. [KR]
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Fleas (Siphonaptera)
http://www.zin.ru/Animalia/Siphonaptera/index.htm
This large resource, by parasitology researchers at the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, represents two decades of research on fleas (order Siphonaptera). The site covers (in varied detail) biology, morphology, taxonomy, hosts, distribution, and references/ links (paper and online). Also at the site is a database providing geographic distribution information by taxon (several options). A collection of spectacular scanning microscope images rounds out the site. [LXP]
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Earthquake Engineering Research Institute [.pdf, QuickTime]
http://www.eeri.org/
A national, nonprofit technical society, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) was founded in 1949 and aims to "reduce earthquake risk by advancing the science and practice of earthquake engineering." EERI's searchable site contains news, timely information, and documents pertaining to earthquakes and related engineering issues. Highlights include the reconnaissance reports with in-depth coverage of current and past quakes. The Web exclusives section contains photos and testimonies, such as a slide show and text of an accompanying testimony made to the US House of Representatives Committee on Science on lessons learned from the Turkey, Taiwan, and Mexico City earthquakes. On the site's main page, users may browse through the links of highlights, such as the one to the EERI newsletter. [KR]
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Protecting Coral Reefs
http://coralreef.gov/
On June 11, 1998, President Clinton issued "Executive Order 13089" on Coral Reef Protection, as part of the Monterey National Ocean Conference. This Website monitors the progress of the interagency US Coral Reef Task Force. The site includes a chronological collection of news releases, links to participating agencies, draft recommendations from various task forces, and an action plan. The final section of the site contains an illustrated, hyperlinked document on coral reefs and their protection, with substantial related links. For those interested in the current status of coral reef protection, this site is host to a mix of interesting and relevant information from the perspective of the US Coral Reef Task Force. [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 The Scout Report for Science & Engineering Current Awareness Metapage: http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/report/sci-eng/metapage/).

US Department of the Interior: News [.pdf, .zip]
http://www.doi.gov/testdp/doipress/
The US Department of the Interior (DOI) is charged with overseeing the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the US Geological Survey, among other agencies. Those interested in wildlife and habitat conservation and the role that government agencies play in such efforts will find useful news releases at this site. The DOI homepage provides news and information on DOI activities, with a wide variety of links to other (related) agencies. The DOI's monthly newsletter People, Land, and Water may be accessed directly from the site (.pdf or .zip). Of greatest interest is the series of select press releases (Interior News Releases) highlighting recent ongoings in the DOI. Also available is an archive of past releases. [LXP]
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Institute for Science Information: What's Hot in Research
http://www.isinet.com/hot/research/research.html
The Institute of Science Information, a publisher of Web-based information resources, offers this What's Hot in Research Page which keeps abreast of current trends in scientific research. The weekly feature contains rankings of journals based on their impact within a field, listings of the most prolific universities in different fields, and an abstract of a hot paper in a subject area. Each paper's impact is based on the number of times it was cited in the recent past. [KR]
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New Publications

New CRS Reports
http://www.cnie.org/nle/crsnew.html
Twenty-eight new and fifty-nine updated Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports have recently been added to the National Library for the Environment page. The reports cover air quality, agriculture (a list of Websites), global climate change, fuel economy and emission standards for sport utility vehicles, Federal land and resources management (a list of Internet resources), and a host of other topics. [LXP]

Nanotechnology Featured Articles [.pdf, .ps]
http://www.iop.org/Journals/na
Three articles from each issue of the Institute of Physics Nanotechnology journal are freely available to all visitors. The selections from the journal are made based on the Editor's choice, or due to their topicality. As a result, the titles are subject to change. Currently, featured articles include "Molecular shuttles: directed motion of microtubules along nanoscale kinesin tracks," by John R Dennis, Jonathon Howard, and Viola Vogel, "Surface spectroscopy of nano- and subnanostructures," R. Bruch, N. Afanasyeva, P. Kano, and D. Schneider, and "Molecular dynamics simulations of carbon nanotube-based gears," Jie Han, Al Globus, Richard Jaffe, and Glenn Deardorff. The articles are located at the bottom of the page. [KR]

CITES: A Conservation Tool (6th Edition)
http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/programs/cites/cites.htm
Established in 1973, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) remains one of the most critical documents in the regulation of international trade of wild animals and plants. Amendments to the CITES appendices occur every two years, and "can include the addition to or removal from an Appendix of a species, or transfer of species between Appendices." The sixth edition of CITES: A Conservation Tool is the most current "guide to amending the appendices." The document is available in English, French, or Spanish. [LXP]

"Requirement for an Advanced National Seismic System" [.pdf]
http://greenwood.cr.usgs.gov/pub/circulars/c1188/
This assessment of seismic monitoring in the US, by the US Geological Survey, evaluates the existing systems for seismic monitoring and also discusses the advantages and importance of a modernized monitoring system. Furthermore, recommendations are made for an Advanced National Seismic System. In order to incorporate multiple perspectives on seismic monitoring needs and issues, the report was created with the involvement of a "broad cross section of the seismic monitoring community." Fifty participants attended a three-day workshop in Denver, CO in June, 1998 to develop this report. [KR]

Proceedings of the Fourth International Wildlife Law Conference [.pdf]
http://www.eelink.net/~asilwildlife/4IWLC.pdf
The Wildlife Interest Group of the American Society of International Law has posted online the Proceedings of the Fourth International Wildlife Law Conference (.pdf format), held March 1999 in Washington, DC. The document highlights case studies on the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) at the national and regional level. [LXP]

NOVA: Mathematics
http://www.science.org.au/nova/maths.htm
This NOVA, Science in the News site from the Australian Academy of Science (described in the March 3, 1999 Scout Report for Science & Engineering) has recently added a mathematics section. This section contains articles on the mathematics of calendars, stock markets, tabulating votes, calculating tsunamis, and much more. All in all, the site offers light, math-related articles for the general reader. [KR]

"Four-H 'Working Paper' on Salmon Recovery in Pacific Northwest" [.pdf]
http://www.bpa.gov/Power/PL/federalcaucus/Conservation.pdf
The Northwest Region of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has released the "Four-H 'Working Paper' on Salmon Recovery in Pacific Northwest." The Four Hs "refer to human activities that harm salmon: habitat degradation, harvest activities, hatchery production and hydropower operations." The paper (.pdf format) outlines a series of alternatives that, if implemented, could potentially lead to salmon recovery. [LXP]
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Jobs

Job Openings in Science and Technology from The Chronicle of Higher Education
http://chronicle.com/free/jobs/faculty/scitech/links.htm
Although The Chronicle of Higher Education charges a fee to access the current week's job listings, extensive postings for the previous week are freely available. [LXP]

Nature : International Science Jobs
http://www.nature.com/jobs/index.html
Nature journal's jobs page contains an international science jobs search engine. This feature lets users search out potential employment based on subject, location, type of organization, and position. [KR]

USAJOBS
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/
The US Office of Personnel Management provides the official US government site for jobs and employment opportunities. Current job openings -- including the sciences -- are organized by subject/field, career level, position type (technical, research, administrations, etc.), and alphabetical order. Each category provides the user with choices for further specification (such as geographic location, salary range, etc.). For jobs in the federal sector, this is the place to check. [LXP]

Physics Jobs On-line
http://physicsweb.org/TIPTOP/FORUM/JOBS/
The Physics Forum, in connection with the Institute of Physics, offers this free online job list for physics job opportunities, including open positions and postdoc openings. Also featured here are Jobs Wanted listings, Current Deadlines, Today's Announcements, and an Automated Email Notification of new jobs and deadlines. To submit an entry, users must register. [KR]
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Funding

Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program -- NFWF
http://www.nfwf.org/chesapeake_grant.htm
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has announced the Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program for the coming year. The program "provides small grants to organizations working on a local level to protect and improve watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay basin, while building citizen-based resource stewardship." Full proposals are due January 11, 2000; awards will be announced March 1, 2000. [LXP]

Wilson Fellowships
http://www-ed.fnal.gov/programs/ed_prog_wilson.html
From Fermilab's Education Programs, the Wilson Fellowships are aimed at supporting talented young researchers in high-energy and accelerator physics. "Appointments as Robert R. Wilson Fellows are awarded on a competitive basis to promising young Ph.D. physicists for a term of three years. Fellows will work at Fermilab in an area of experimental high-energy or accelerator physics of their own choice." Applications are accepted twice a year in the fall and the spring. For details, see the contact information at the site. [KR]

Research on Learning and Education (ROLE) -- NSF [.pdf]
http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf0017
The National Science Foundation has announced the Research on Learning and Education (ROLE) program, supporting research projects on "1) brain research as a foundation for research on human learning; 2) fundamental research on behavioral, cognitive, affective and social aspects of human learning; 3) research on science, mathematics, engineering and technological (SMET) learning in formal and informal educational settings; and 4) research on SMET learning in complex educational systems." Preliminary proposals are due March 1, 2000. Formal proposals are due June 1, 2000. The funding announcement may be viewed in text or .pdf format. [LXP]

The Explorers Club: Exploration Fund
http://www.explorers.org/servicesfiles/exploration.html
The Exploration Fund of The Explorers Club provides grants of up to $1,200 primarily for graduate students involved in scientific exploration and field research. "Applications will be judged on the scientific and practical merit of the proposal, the competence of the investigator and the appropriateness of the budget." Applicants need not be members of the club to be eligible. Applications are due by January 31 each calendar year. [KR]
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Conferences

The Sixth Conference of the International Organization of Palaeobotany
(IOPC-VI)
http://www.nigpas.ac.cn/iopc2nd.htm
The Sixth Conference of the International Organization of Palaeobotany (IOPC-VI) will be held in Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China, July 31-August 3, 2000. Symposia "will likely cover the following topics: Early land plants; Late Palaeozoic palaeophytogeography; Gymnosperms; Origin of angiosperms; Molecular and chemical methods in palaeobotany; Fossil cuticles; and Prospects for palaeobotany and its education in 21st Century." The deadline for submission of abstracts (posters or presentations) is April 1, 2000. [LXP]

25th European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy
http://qui.uc.pt/~rfausto/eucmos_xxv/ginfo.html
The 25th European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy, sponsored by the School for Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra and The Portuguese Chemical Society, will be held August 27-September 1, 2000, in Coimbra, Portugal. The meeting aims "to facilitate discussion about all aspects of molecular spectroscopy and its applications. All spectroscopic methods or techniques as well as supporting theoretical and computational methods that provide information about the structure, dynamics, processes and/or properties of molecules or their aggregates, will be discussed." The deadline for abstracts is March 31, 2000. [KR]

Animal Behavior Society: 37th Annual Meeting
http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABS/Program/Morehouse_00/
The 37th Annual Meeting of the Animal Behavior Society will be held August 5-9, 2000, at Morehouse College and Zoo Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia. Symposia are currently planned on dispersal behavior, comparisons of the behavior of Primates and Cetaceans, and applied animal behavior. The final deadline for the receipt of abstracts and images is March 17, 2000. Potential presenters are encouraged to submit abstracts via the online form. [LXP]

2000 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting
http://earth.agu.org/meetings/wp00call.html
The 2000 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting will overlap with the Japanese Association of Earth and Planetary Science Societies to be held in Shinjuko (outside of Tokyo, Japan, June 27-30, 2000. The overlap of the two meetings will provide scientists and students excellent opportunities for networking. "This meeting is intended to serve the needs of geophysicists interested in studies in the western Pacific region, but papers on all related aspects of geophysical sciences are encouraged." The deadline for abstract submission is May 9, 2000. [KR]
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New Data

Nature Feature of the Week: Sequence of Chromosome 22 [.pdf]
http://www.nature.com/cgi-bin/wbsp-home.cgi
Marking a major milestone this week, the Human Genome Project has released the sequence of the first human chromosome, chromosome 22. The sequence and related scientific articles are available online in the Feature of the Week section of the prestigious scientific journal, Nature. The lead article describes the international collaboration between researchers from the UK, Japan, US, Canada, and Sweden, and "reveals the euchromatic portion of chromosome 22 as a 33.4-megabase structure containing at least 545 genes." Those seeking data should download all figures, tables, and text in .pdf format for clarity of resolution. [LXP]
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Energy Plug: Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the US 1990-1998
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/plugs/plgg98.html
These newly available data from the US Energy Information Agency contain US emissions of greenhouse gases, based on global warming potential, 1990-1998. The page offers readings for carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. The data are accompanied by short additional text. [KR]
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Plant Fossil Record Database
http://ibs.uel.ac.uk/palaeo/pfr2/pfr.htm
The International Organization of Palaeobotany (IOP) manages the Plant Fossil Record (PFR) database. The recently released version of the database, PFR2.2, offers descriptive details of most plant fossil genera and modern genera with fossil species. Based on "the scientific literature ... or museum collections," the database is organized into five sections: Genera (references for plant fossil genera published mostly before 1985), Descriptions (containing descriptive details of "the type specimens of more than 10,000 extinct plant genera"), Taxonomy (an "informal system of vascular plant classification" based on published schemes), Occurrences (distribution information and references), and Palaeo Maps. [LXP]
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California Snow Conditions
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/snow/current/snow/
Provided by the California Cooperative Snow Surveys in conjunction with the California Department of Water Resources, this site contains an interactive map and links for selecting riverbasins for which data are supplied. Within each riverbasin area, current data are available by station name. Users may obtain snow, water content, rain, and temperature readings in plot or table form. [KR]
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In The News

Ocean Circulation and Climate Change
1. "Climate Rides on Ocean Conveyor Belt" -- ENN
http://www.enn.com/enn-news-archive/1999/09/092699/conveyor_5908.asp
2. "Giant Ocean Eddies Discovered off Australia" -- ENN
http://www.enn.com/enn-news-archive/1999/02/022699/currents.asp
3. "Warm Ocean Rings Intensify Hurricanes" -- ENN
http://www.enn.com/enn-news-archive/1999/11/110599/intense_7025.asp
4. "Arctic Thawing May Jolt Sea's Climate Belt" -- NYT
http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/120799sci-environ-climate.html
5. World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE)
http://www-ocean.tamu.edu/WOCE/uswoce.html
6. WOCE Publications
http://www-ocean.tamu.edu/WOCE/publications.html
7. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/
8. North Atlantic Oscillation
http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/programs/index.html
While the mainstream media has provided extensive coverage of El Nino and La Nina -- the warmer and colder phases of a perpetual oscillation in the surface temperature of the tropical Pacific Ocean -- little attention has been paid to deep-water phases. Several recent publications in leading scientific journals (Science and Nature) are adding new dimensions to the link between large-scale ocean circulation patterns and climate. Researchers Dr. Wallace Broecker and researchers at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (see the November 5, 1999 issue of Science and the November 9, 1999 issue of The New York Times) found that deep ocean currents, operating as an oceanic "conveyor belt," may hold clues to climate change. The conveyor belt works by transporting warm, increasingly salty, ocean water from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean; eventually, the warm water current runs into a cold water current, causing the warm water to cool quickly and sink, due to greater density. In turn, this creates a "sub-surface countercurrent which carries the cool water back to the Indian and Pacific oceans" (2). In this week's issue of Nature (December 2, 1999), German scientist Carsten Ruhlemann and colleagues provide new evidence that the thermohaline circulation has triggered rapid climate change events in the past, including the last deglaciation. In addition, the current issue of Science Times (December 7, 1999) highlights the connection between thawing Arctic ice sheets and oceanic currents. This week's In The News focuses on ocean circulation patterns and climate change. The seven resources above provide background information and specific links to related resources.

The first three sites, from Environmental News Network (ENN), describe how deep ocean currents circulate on a global scale, and over several decades, to create an oceanic conveyor belt (1). This global-scale oceanic conveyor belt may generate giant ocean eddies (2) and is believed to influence Atlantic Ocean hurricanes, the frequency of La Nina years, and the frequency of "wetter, cooler conditions in the Pacific Northwest" (3). This New York Times article (4) (requires free registration) describes the link between the oceanic conveyor belt and melting Arctic ice. For technical information on the ocean's role in decadal climate change, see the homepage for the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) -- a multinational research effort (5). Also from WOCE is this list of scientific and other publications (6), including recent scientific papers and a substantial bibliography. Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) homepage (7) provides a wealth of information for nonscientists and scientists alike. For links to ocean circulation and climate information, browse the LDEO's Research and Data Repositories sections. Finally, for those seeking scientific information on climate oscillations, LDEO's North Atlantic Oscillation homepage (8) is a solid place to start. [LXP]
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Below are the copyright statements to be included when reproducing annotations from The Scout Report for Science & Engineering.

The single phrase below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing any portion of this report, in any format:

From The Scout Report for Science & Engineering, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1999. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/

The paragraph below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing the entire report, in any format:

Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-1999. The Internet Scout Project (http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/), located in the Computer Sciences Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides information about the Internet to the U.S. research and education community under a grant from the National Science Foundation, number NCR-9712163. The Government has certain rights in this material. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the entire Scout Report provided this paragraph, including the copyright notice, are preserved on all copies.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Wisconsin - Madison or the National Science Foundation.


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