Ask-a-Geologist

Do you ever lie awake at night wondering whether all Texas lakes are man-made, or where you can find a good source of reservoir rock that is litharenite or sublitharenite? Thanks to modern technology, you can ask such questions of a real geologist. Whip off a letter to a geologist and eventually, someone somewhere will explain something that is geologically interesting.


Web:

http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/docs/ask-a-ge.html


Earth Science Resources

The Earth is one of my favorite planets in the entire solar system, so it's no surprise that I like these Earth sciences sites. Find out about geology, geomorphology, geophysics, geochemistry, mineralogy, paleontology, volcanology, geological organizations, geophysics, hydrogeology and paleontology. Wow! All that information, and you don't even have to dig for it.


Web:

http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/html/earthsci.html
http://un2sg4.unige.ch/athena/mineral/minlinks.html
http://www.earthscienceworld.org/
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/sci/earth_sciences.html


Geological Image Library

The next time you are having a bunch of geology friends over for a rock party, leave this Web site displayed on your computer screen. Simply type a keyword into a search engine and you will be rewarded with many beautiful images relating to geology. Once your friends wander over to the computer and start playing with this resource, they will become totally captivated, and you will be free to eat all the onion dip yourself.


Web:

http://www.science.ubc.ca/~eoswr/cgi-bin/db_gallery/sea...


Geological Time Scale

Have you ever wondered how to make sense out of the last 4,500 million years? Actually, it's not so hard once you know the names of the geological time periods and some of the details. These resources will help you make sense out of all the eons, eras and epochs. Soon people will crawl hundreds of miles just to ask you, did the Devonian era come before or after the Silurian (after), and in which time frame were graptolites dominant (the Ordovician)?


Web:

http://www.geo.ucalgary.ca/~macrae/timescale/timescale....
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.html


Geology

Where on Earth can you get the real dirt? Wouldn't you like to ground yourself in the world of down-to-Earth, crust-forming alluvium? Don't you just wanna rock your geological world till the Earth moves? All you need to do is land on these earthy Internet resources, and you'll have access to everything there is to know about the origin, history and structure of the Earth (and then some).


Web:

http://www.college.hmco.com/geology/resources/geologyli...
http://www.geologicalsociety.com/
http://www.geology.com/
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/geo/onlineguides.html
http://www.unige.ch/sciences/terre/admin/terre_link.htm...
http://www.usgs.gov/


Geology Talk and General Discussion

Geology is the study of the structure of the Earth and its surface. These are the places where the geologically inclined discuss technical matters, as well as topics of interest to non-scientists. Talk about rocks, fossils, the origin of natural formations, and so on. If you have a geological question (such as where to take your kids to look for fossils), you can post it here and see if an expert will answer you.


Usenet:

Google Newsreader sci.geo.geology

Listserv Mailing List:

List Name: geol-101
Subscribe To: listserv@list.uvm.edu


Glaciology

Glaciology is the study of glaciers and glaciotectonics. These Web sites will lead you to just about anything you need in this area of study. Even if you are not a professional, I bet you'll enjoy a bit of browsing. For example, many people believe that the water content in snow is 1/10 the same volume of water. In other words, 10 inches of snow is equivalent to 1 inch of rain. Actually, the ratio varies from 1/100 to 1/3 and depends upon the weather conditions at the time of the snowfall.


Web:

http://www.glacier.rice.edu/land/5_tableofcontents.html...
http://www.nsidc.org/
http://www.nsidc.org/data/catalog.html
http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/wdcc/


Global Map of Earthquakes

As you move on to adulthood, it is not uncommon for your mother to experience fits of anxiety and despair because she fears for your safety. If you are about to make that big move from home (or if you moved out 30 years ago and your mother is still worried), take a look at these earthquake maps. Show your mother that where you live is nowhere near a fault line and, in no time at all, she will feel completely at ease. (Hint for anyone living on or near a fault line: download the picture ahead of time, and use a graphics program to remove any red lines that are close to where you live.) The map facilities at this site let you zoom around a graphical representation of the Earth, checking out all the recent quake action. I've also included a glossary of geological terms to help you interpret these maps. The Usenet group is that place to talk with other people about what makes the Earth move under your feet.


Web:

http://cires.colorado.edu/people/jones.craig/EQimagemap...
http://www.college.hmco.com/geology/resources/geologyli...

Usenet:

Google Newsreader sci.geo.earthquakes


Hydrology

Hydrology is the study of water, its properties, distribution and movement across land. Hydrology encompasses a huge area of study, because the hydrologic cycle is so complex. (The hydrologic cycle refers to the entire process of water evaporating from the Earth's surface and eventually coming back down to Earth.) Moreover, water is present in several different physical forms (like rain, snow and ice) and travels in diverse patterns. For example, water can freeze into polar ice caps, where it will stay for millions of years. Or water can fall onto land where it immediately soaks into the ground, is utilized by plants, and runs off into rivers or soaks into the groundwater.


Web:

http://terrassa.pnl.gov:2080/EESC/resourcelist/hydrolog...
http://www.hwr.arizona.edu/hydro_link.html
http://www.usra.edu/esse/ford/ESS205/g300www/g300wwwhyd...
http://wwwga.usgs.gov/edu/

Usenet:

Google Newsreader sci.geo.hydrology


Minerals

These sites will give you more than the recommended daily allowance of minerals. You can search databases containing information about gems and minerals of all types. In addition, you will also find a great many photos to help you identify any stray minerals you happen to encounter in your journeys on planet Earth.


Web:

http://www.cobweb.net/~bug2/rock4.htm
http://www.min.uni-bremen.de/kabinett/index.en.html
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/school/glossary.htm
http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/mineralogie/links.html
http://www.webmineral.com/

Usenet:

Google Newsreader sci.geo.mineralogy


National Geophysical Data Center

The National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), located in Boulder, Colorado, is part of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NGDC manages and makes available a large number of environmental data sets, many of them of interest to geologists. In particular there is data in the areas of marine geology, marine geophysics, paleoclimatology, solar-terrestrial physics, solid earth geophysics and glaciology.


Web:

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/


Quicksand

The popular idea of quicksand is a myth. To be sure, there do exist many places where you can find quicksand-like soil: loose sand, mixed with water, that is soft and pliable. There is quicksand all over the world, anywhere the right type of sand coexists with water, such as near a river. However, don't be afraid. If you ever have the misfortune to step in some quicksand, just walk out carefully and deliberately. If you get in deep, you won't get sucked in; most likely, you will float. On the Net, quicksand is of interest to two types of people: first, geologists who study such phenomena; and second, a large number of people to whom the idea of attractive people sinking in quicksand is erotic. This particular fetish, which encompasses other types of related stimulation, is known as "wam" (wet and messy).


Web:

http://www.cae.wisc.edu/~wiscengr/issues/apr97/quicksan...
http://www.dellamente.com/quicksand/
http://www.hunkinsexperiments.com/pages/quicksand.htm
http://www.newscientist.com/lastword/answers/111earth.j...


Radon

Radon is a colorless, radioactive gas formed by the natural decay of radium. As a tool, radon is primarily used in radiotherapy for treating cancer. However, radon also occurs naturally in areas where uranium-238 is present in the rocks and soil. Elements like uranium decay over long periods of time and, as they decay, the atoms transmute. Eventually, uranium decays into other elements that produce radium. When radium decays, it forms radon. At the same time, a type of radiation called alpha particles is released. (An alpha particle consists of two protons and two neutrons.) Radon gas is itself radioactive because it also decays, emitting more alpha particles and forming polonium (another radioactive element). The problem is, if there is radon in your environment, you breathe it, whereupon it gets trapped in your lungs. When the radon decays, the radiation and the polonium can cause damage to the tissue and predispose you to developing lung cancer. These Web sites will give you detailed information: what is radon, where is it found and what can you do to reduce the risk of radon affecting your living environment?


Web:

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/
http://www.nsc.org/ehc/radon.htm
http://www.vh.org/Providers/Textbooks/Radon/HealthRisk....


Seismology

Here is a large collection of links to seismic information available on the Net. There are lots and lots of earthquake-related resources, so the next time you run into someone on the street who asks, "What's shaking?" you can invite him over and show him in person.


Web:

http://www.geophys.washington.edu/seismosurfing.html


Structural Geology

Structural geology is the study of rock deformation and the geologic configurations resulting from such deformations (mountains, canyons, mesas, and so on). In particular, structural geology includes plate tectonics, the study of the slow movements of sections of the Earth's crust (plates), leading to the formation of continents. Of particular interest are earthquakes and volcanoes, which mostly occur at the margins of such plates.


Web:

http://geology.ou.edu/~ksmart/structure_webpage/
http://www.earth.monash.edu.au/AGCRC/ASG/
http://www.rwth-aachen.de/ged/Ww/others/structural.html...


U.S. Geological Survey

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), a part of the United States Department of the Interior, is America's largest agency devoted to earth science. The USGS creates and provides (for free) an enormous amount of information relating to geology (rocks and soil), topography (lay of the land), and hydrology (water). There are lots of maps and databases, as well as many research analyses of natural resources.


Web:

http://info.er.usgs.gov/


Virtual Cave

When I was younger, I spent a lot of time exploring the Colossal Cave in the Adventure game (the very first computer-based adventure game). However, I have never had a chance to explore a real cave. Now, however, I can visit the Virtual Cave whenever I want and look at pictures of all kinds of fascinating cave formations. So if -- like me -- you have always wanted to go spelunking (cave exploring), you can start by doing it over the Net. If you live in the U.S., you can also check with the United States Cave Directory to find out information about many of the public caves you can visit.


Web:

http://www.goodearthgraphics.com/virtcave.html
http://www.uni-geophys.gwdg.de/~gkaufman/caving/


Volcanology

It used to be that the only thing you could do with a volcano was to throw a virgin into it and hope that the gods were appeased. Now you can hook up all sorts of wires and gadgets to it, and use X-ray fluorescence to examine trace elements and aerial photographs to analyze pumiceous pyroclastic flow.


Web:

http://home.mira.net/~gnb/caving/papers/kg-svckt.html
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/glossary.html
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/home.html
http://www.geo.mtu.edu/volcanoes/