23 July 2004

Webcam science

Forrest M. Mims III

Webcam images from around the world provide an important new way to do science. This webcam image of the San Luis Valley, Colorado, is from www.slvdweller.com/ Click image to enlarge.

Thousands of webcams are sprinkled across the web.

Businesses use them to promote popular tourist destinations. Astronomers use them to check sky conditions. Individuals use them to show their bird feeders and backyards.

The webcam image here is from Colorado's San Luis Valley. The web site that hosts this webcam, www.slvdweller.com describes itself thusly: "SLV Dweller serves as a repository of San Luis Valley news and information from varied sources."

Yet, thanks to the webcam, there's much more to this web site. That's because anyone with an Internet link can study the seasonal changes and the sky at the San Luis Valley simply by checking out this site every day or so.

The same can be done using webcams from around the world.

If you're interested in meteorology, you can select webcams that look at mountains and beaches.

If you want to study traffic patterns, you can select from a wide variety of city webcams, many of which are active during day and night.

If you are intrigued by the study of seasonal changes in vegetation, you can select from webcams that show natural landscapes at various locations.

Surf conditions at beaches around the world are depicted by many webcam sites. These sites are ideal for monitoring seasonal trends in waves and weather.

Various satellites that image the Earth are the ultimate webcams. Some studies might benefit by comparing time series of images from space and from the ground.

Before selecting a webcam for a long term project, do some research to make sure there is a reasonable chance the site will remain in operation for some time into the future. Consider selecting multiple sites, so that your project is not ended when a webcam goes down or is taken offline.

Finally, consider setting up your own webcam, especially if you have access to a potentially interesting study site. Even if you don't, a webcam that looks straight up at the sky or toward the horizon can provide a time series of weather and clouds for your site.