This video introduces the Earth Impact Database, which is a repository of information about
confirmed extraterrestrial impacts on the Earth, maintained by the Planetary and Space
Science Centre of the University of New Brunswick, Canada.
The welcome screen on the web site passc.net features an image of the Manicouagan impact
structure in Quebec taken by Chris Hadfield from the International Space Station.
Clicking on the "Enter here" button displays information about the mission of the Planetary
and Space Science Centre, which consist of performing planetary research with emphasis
on impact cratering, maintaining the Earth Impact Database and serving as a Regional
Planetary Image Facility.
The tab for Featured Image showcases some of the excellent photographs available from
the center, such as the Comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko
and the rings of Saturn.
Clicking on the Research tab displays the current areas of research, which include impact
cratering, fragmentation and brecciation in planetary materials, frictional melting processes,
shock metamorphism, and several other topics.
The page also lists opportunities for advanced studies at the Planetary and Space Science
Centre.
Clicking the tab for the Earth Impact Database brings up a web page that can display the
impact sites in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Russia and Australia.
The last tab can sort the data by name, Crater diameter and crater age.
The page explains the history and sources of the impact database, and it also encourages
the science community to suggest additions to the knowledge base.
The web site lists criteria for the identification of impact structures, the most important of
which are shatter cones determined visually and Planar Deformation Features identified
with a microscope.
The World map lists the impacts on the whole planet, and clicking on North America or other
continents brings up a map that can be scaled dynamically by clicking on the plus or the
minus buttons.
Each balloon place marker on the map can be clicked to obtain information about an impact
site.
Below the map is a table with the crater name, its location, its diameter and its age.
Clicking on the name of the Manicouagan crater on the table leads to a web page with images
and a list of bibliographic references documenting research on the crater.
The images taken by various satellites and space shuttles can be viewed by clicking on
the blue dots on the image.
The RPIF tab for the Regional Planetary Image Facility explains that the New Brunswick Planetary
and Space Science Centre maintains a collection of data, images, maps and documents spanning
NASA's space exploration history.
Clicking on the images in this web page leads to more detailed information.
Clicking on the image of asteroids, for example, brings up a list of media available on the
subject, including images, journals, slide sets and CD-ROMs.
The Missions tab has pages about missions to the Moon, Mars and other planets of the
solar system.
Very detailed information is available on the instrumentation and experiments carried
out by the missions.
Clicking on the Asteroid image, for example, produces a list of missions to asteroids by
various space agencies.
The tab for Meteorites includes investigation of meteorites from the Moon, Mars and the
asteroid belt.
The page contains a list of useful links, such as general information about meteorites
and a photo gallery of "meteorwrongs".
The general information about meteorites links to the web site geology.com edited by professional
meteorite hunter Geoffrey Notkin.
The web site has images and useful information on meteorites, but the advertisements are
distracting.
The link to the photo gallery of meteorwrongs is hosted by Washington University in St.
Louis.
The images link to more detailed information about the specific rocks, and the reason why
they are not considered meteorites.
The tab about meetings maintains a list of recent and upcoming meetings in the United
States about planetary science, geology and impacts.
The page also has links to meetings sponsored by the European Space Agency and the Canadian
Space Agency.
The Outreach tab provides information about workshops and interaction with teachers and
schools about space exploration.
The link for NASA Solar System Exploration Kids Page shows some of the accomplishments
of students in space exploration.
The tab on Related Sites has links to the web sites of various space agencies in Canada,
the U.S., Europe, Japan, China, India and Russia.
The page also includes links to clubs and societies interested in planetary exploration.
Overall, the web site of the Planetary and Space Science Centre of New Brunswick is a
very useful resource for professionals and enthusiasts interested in space exploration
and impact cratering.
However, if you are looking for recently discovered craters, such as the Greenland crater under
the Hiawatha Glacier, you will not find them in the impact database until they have been
convincingly confirmed by independent investigations.