Volcano Expedition - A fascinating foray into the volcanic depths of Costa Rica, put together (rather ironically) by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The expedition itself took place in January 2001 and provides an insight into the scientific approach to these sulphurous beasts. Choose and click one of the seven volcanoes featured to learn a little more about each. One small criticism of the popup windows that erupt on screen for each is that some of the technical terms are asterisked but don't jump to a glossary. The site offers a nice backgrounder on volcanoes and their emissions as well as their active subterranean world. Short biographies of the team members involved in the expedition give it a human touch, as would the video introduction if it worked without having to install a plugin. The "in the lab" section teases with the promise of some scientific findings about the samples the team brought back to Scripps but other than giving us a run down of the lab leaders and what they do in general there is nothing specific to the expedition finds. It would be nice to find out what they discovered after the expedition. Rating: 6 out of 10 (15 December 2002) DB
http://www.sio.ucsd.edu/volcano/

webExpeditions.net - This well presented site allows would-be expedition leaders to promote their up and coming expeditions through the site's Expedition Web System. Visitors to the site are transported to the field as the expedition teams communicate directly with the site by posting regular reports and images. Scientific, educational and adventure expeditions are all covered. Archived expeditions stretching back to 1999 are featured as well as current activity reports. The site is visual with many thumbnail photographs, ideal for the armchair explorer. (12 December 2001) NJF
http://www.webexpeditions.net/

A Sightseers Guide to Engineering - Are you looking for a way to make your vacation drive across the United States into a fun and educational experience? How about planning your route to include stops at engineering marvels? Thanks to A Sightseers Guide to Engineering, you can view a list of engineering sites in each state, or search by engineering discipline or site type. The site descriptions include a photograph, background information, fun tips, visitor information, a map and links to the site's website. Sponsored by the National Society of Engineers, this site contains places ranging from a retired inter-continental ballistic missile silo (Arizona), the tallest roller coaster in the world (Ohio), a roller skating museum (Nebraska), nuclear power stations (South Carolina), and a salt mine (Louisiana). Even if you are not planning a trip, why not check out what sites are located in your area for a fun weekend event? A little learning can be fun! (23 November 2001) CK
http://www.engineeringsights.org/

National Park Service: ParkNet - Created in 1916 to manage America's 14 national parks and 21 national monuments, the National Park Service today manages some 380 national parks and monuments across the country, from the Statue of Liberty National Monument to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Of course you'll find exhaustive information on each of these, but that comprises just a fraction of what's available on this vast (but easily navigable) site. Find your way around using the four main sections of the home page ­ Histories, Cultures and Places; Nature and Science in the Parks; Education and Interpretation; and Servicewide Information ­ or use the site map for an overall view of the contents, or simply click on drop-down menus for searching by a specific topic. There are countless factsheets, brochures, maps, articles and photos covering every imaginable aspect of the national parks, and whether you're a prospective visitor looking for itineraries and practical info, or are interested in conservation or wildlife issues, or just want to take a peek at the Yellowstone geysers, this is the place to start. (20 August 2001) DD
http://www.nps.gov/

Grand Canyon Explorer - Easily navigable and packed with all the information (and scenic views) of the Grand Canyon you could want, this site shows just how good a website set up by an enthusiast can be. Start exploring from the ten main sections on the home page, each of which leads to a further range of topics ­ for example, the 'Learn More' section branches into Geology, Human History, Weather, Maps, Other Attractions in the Four Corners area, Photos, and a Master Image Index. There's a timeline with hotlinks to places, events and people in the Canyon's history, and a useful alphabetical glossary of all items on the site. You'll also find guided tours ­ with detailed info on itineraries, museums, landmarks, trails, accommodation, maps, advice for backpackers ­ and, in the 'Armchair Travelers' section, an opportunity to 'test drive' a virtual visit of the Grand Canyon, take a white-water trip down the Colorado River, and read trip reports by hikers and backpackers. A great first-stop site, with plenty of links for exploring further. (23 July 2001) DD
http://www.kaibab.org/home.htm

Virtual Iceland Field Trips - Even if Iceland is not on your A-list of vacation destinations this year, a virtual trip will surely offer some respite from the daily grind. Since Iceland has a plethora of volcanic activity, past and recent, you might guess that lava flows and areas of devastation will be highlighted, but there are enough unexpected treats here to warrant a visit. What happens when a volcano is situated under a glacier (irrestible force meets semi-immovable object) is documented with satellite and other photos. The term 'dead ice' is explained, and there are pictures of geological formations quite unlike anything you may have seen. While there are no eruption photos at the site, links are provided, and they offer spectacular shots. Some of the smaller text is difficult to read, new windows will open all over the screen, and navigation can be less than smooth. But it is a wonderful glimpse into what occurs when nature decides to rearrange her land features. (29 May 2001) AD
http://www.ismennt.is/vefir/earth/mhcur/cvft.htm

Yellowstone Net - Whether you're planning a vacation or just a virtual visit, Yellowstone Net covers every corner of the original US National Park. Beautiful photographs are the backdrop to a site explaining the park's history and volcanic setting, and celebrating its 250 or so hot shooting springs (geysers) and diverse wildlife - including bears, moose, eagles, coyote, and bighorn. Users can take an interactive tour of the sulphurous thermal pools and fountains, or watch a video of male elks clashing antlers to win females. A live WebCam keeps an eye on Old Faithful - king of all geysers. Plus there's an online newspaper, discussion forum and the chance to get your own Yellowstone e-mail address. Freebies include breath-taking images for download as screensavers or to be sent as e-greetings. If that doesn't make the park feel like home, the site can be used for holiday bookings and even for buying real estate. Pre-visit, Yellowstone Net recommends the park's top ten spots, watches for earthquakes and adverse weather, but it's up to visitors to look out for those Grizzlies. (18 January 2001) JS
http://www.yellowstone.net/

Geology of Mojave Preserve - "From the swirling sands of Kelso Dunes to Hole in the Wall's violent volcanic remnants, Mojave National Preserve serves as a showcase of ancient and modern geologic processes." The virtual field trip section of this site certainly gives justice to the opening page's rhetoric. This is perhaps the most well organised part and contains excellent illustrative photography of various locations within the desert. Sections on plate tectonics, mineralogy and geological maps are also available which provide a good introduction to the beginner. However, other parts of the site can be less satisfying. For example, the desert's geological history is limited to just showing the timescale of its history, using a blown up section of a stratigraphic log. This site is of definite interest to those who have spent some time in the desert, but were glad to come back. (3 November 2000) LGC
http://geology.wr.usgs.gov/docs/parks/mojave/...

Park Geology Tour - This is an excellent site. Produced as a collaborative effort between the USGS and National Park Service, information is presented at a variety of technical levels. The pages are organised into two categories, general geology topics and individual parks. The park side provides a virtual tour of US national parks with attractions from glaciers to volcanoes. The pages are easily navigable with categories and indices providing links to further information. These can be further drilled down to the individual parks themselves, combining breathtaking photography with factual detail. Furthermore, several pages are dedicated to the unique geological history of specific parks. There are also education resource pages for several parks, geological maps and glossaries. The information content is as big as the parks it tries to present. Absolutely worth a visit. (22 October 2000) LGC
http://www.aqd.nps.gov/grd/tour/