| Albanian_Wetland_Ecosystems_Project Project geared towards recording the nation's wetlands to create a database for use in conservation and wise use of the Albanian wetlands. Provides information, reports, and maps. |
| America\'s_Wetland__Campaign_to_Save_Coastal_Louisiana Information about one of the largest and most productive expanses of coastal wetlands in North America, now disappearing rapidly, and efforts to protect and restore it. |
| Army_Corps_of_Engineers_-_Wetlands_Research_Program Research program designed to advance the state of the art of wetlands science, engineering, and technology. |
| Army_Corps_of_Engineers_Sacramento_District_Regulatory_Home_Page Information related to wetlands, especially U.S. federal regulation of wetlands. |
| Bolsa_Chica_Wetlands_Restoration_Project Information about this wetland area and its restoration. In Orange County, California. |
| British_Columbia_Wetlands_Society Mission is to promote the conservation of British Columbia's wetland ecosystems through education, research and stewardship. |
| The_California_Resources_Agency_Wetlands_Web Comprehensive information about wetlands and their management in California and elsewhere. Content designed for the general public, the educational community, and government agencies. |
| Camosun_Bog_Restoration_Group Working in Pacific Spirit Regional Park in Vancouver to restore an ancient and sensitive habitat. |
| Citizens_for_a_Green_North_Tonawanda Wetland preservation and environmental education. |
| Classification_of_Wetlands_and_Deepwater_Habitats_of_the_United_States_Manual Report by wetland ecologists (Cowardin et al.) for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1979. |
| The_Coalition_for_Wetland_Protection Coalition of non-governmental organizations and scientific institutions focused on supporting and protecting the wetland areas of Poland. News, technical and issues information, and images of Polish w |
| Compensating_for_Wetland_Losses_Under_the_Clean_Water_Act___(2001),_Table_of_Contents Technical report by a committee of the National Academy of Sciences (2001). Covers wetlands restoration, mitigation, and related topics. |
| The_Digital_Field_Trip_to_The_Wetlands Learn about wetland ecology, including types, organisms, food webs, bog formation and conservation with Digital Frog International's award-winning educational CD-ROM. |
| Dr__Julian_Thompson_-_Wetland_Research_Unit Wetlands research (primarily in Africa and Asia) and courses offered at University College, London. Includes publications. |
| Duke_University_Wetland_Center The goal of the Duke University Wetland Center is to provide sound scientific knowledge that will lead to sustainable wetland functions and values for the nation and the world. |
| Electronic_Wetlands_Herbarium On-line field guide to U.S. wetlands plants. |
| Everglades_Library Internet resource library of information on the Florida Everglades and its restoration. |
| Flynn_Bogs_System A study of a bog system in Leon County Texas, describing the various habitats found, and the wildlife that inhabit them. |
| Friends_of_Bushy_Park_Wetlands Organization assists Parks Victoria rangers in the passive development of this wetland and sanctuary for 90 bird species in Glen Waverley, Australia. Includes information on wetlands and their biology |
| Ginninderra_Wetlands_Care_Group Wetlands management organization in Canberra ACT Australia. Site includes local and general wetlands information. |
| King_County_Wetland_Topics Information about wetlands, wetland plants and wildlife, development and mitigation rules, and educational programs from King County Department of Natural Resources, Washington State. |
| Kushiro_International_Wetland_Centre Archived newsletters and other information regarding wetlands matters in Japan's Kushiro region and other parts of the country, as well as international wetlands topics. |
| Lake_Koshkonong_Wetland_Association Promotes Lake Koshkonong and the Rock River in southern Wisconsin including the life of natural plants, fish, birds, and other forms of wildlife in the basin. |
| Louisiana_Coast_Web_Site contains information and links relating to coastal restoration projects in Louisiana. Site funded by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA). |
| Mike_Walter\'s_Wetlands_Page Annotated links to wetlands-related sites, especially those with an Indiana focus. |
| National_Wetlands_Inventory Maps and other information on U.S. wetlands, from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. |
| Ohio_Wetlands_Foundation Non-profit providing wetland, off-site compensatory mitigation credits and funding wetlands research and education |
| The_Olentangy_River_Wetland_Research_Park About wetland research and education facility at Ohio State University. |
| Penn_State_Cooperative_Wetlands_Center Information about interdisciplinary research, monitoring, and training regarding wetlands and related resources, with an emphasis in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states. One activity is deve |
| Pitt_Polder_Preservation_Society Established promote the protection of wetlands in the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows area in British Columbia, Canada. Provides information about bogs, other wetland types, and their values and functions. |
| Ramsar_Convention_on_Wetlands Official site of the secretariat for the Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. This intergovernmental treaty provides a framework for national action and international cooperatio |
| The_rehabilitation_of_Creery_Wetlands Provides an overview of the rehabilitation of the area including the re-introduction of the quenda. |
| Riparian_and_Wetland_Research_Program_of_the_University_of_Montana Research group dealing with issues relating to the ecology and management of riparian and wetlands of the state and the region. |
| Siberian_Crane_Wetland_Project A six-year effort to sustain the ecological integrity of a network of globally important wetlands in Asia, using the Siberian Crane as a flagship species. |
| Society_for_the_Conservation_of_Philippine_Wetlands Network of wetland workers and advocates who engage in activities supportive of wetland conservation objectives. |
| Society_of_Wetland_Scientists a non-profit organization founded to promote wetland science and the exchange of information related to wetlands. |
| South_Florida_Wetland_Ecosystems_Lab Describes wetlands research activities, including studies of mangrove ecology and water quality impacts in the Everglades. |
| Southern_California_Wetlands_Recovery_Project Goal is to accelerate the pace, the extent, and the effectiveness of coastal wetland restoration in Southern California through developing and implementing a regional prioritization plan for the acqu |
| Swampy A kids' introduction to wetlands, featuring a cartoon character, with photos of wetlands and watersheds in different parts of the United States. Includes professional resume for the Kentucky wetlands |
| TOWRA-Net_-_Towra_Point_Nature_Reserve All about Towra Point Nature Reserve - Sydney's most important wetland |
What is TEP The TEP network is a group of collaborators searching for Transits of Extrasolar Planets. Our major effort is the observation of the eclipsing binary star CM-Draconis for signs of the presence of planets using the transit method. For a quick introduction to the project, read the Poster from the JENAM-95 conference. A technical introduction is given in an article in Astronomy and Astrophysics (1998, Vol 338, p 479, preprint in postscript , pdf).Note 30 Dec. 2002: Since the TEP project finished in 2001, this siteis not being updated any longer. 
New: Animation of the transiting planet around the star HD209458 
The Transit Method (link to intro) News & Results 2002 - The TEP project has finishedFollow-up observations of the remaining 3 planet candidates (see below,in entry for Sep 2000) were taken during 2001. While two of these candidateswere discarded when no transits showed up during follow-up observations,for one candidate a transit-like feature appared right on time. We got excitedabout this, while keeping in mind that the probability for random noise tocreate such a feature is about 3% (this is described in more detailin Doyle et al, 2000, Astrophysical Journal, 535, 338). Indeed, during twofurther follow-up observations, the feature did not show up at predictedtransit times and that candidate had to be discarded as well. Consequently,the TEP project did not discover any planet, but it remains as the firstobservational project that probed the presence of terrestrial-sized planetsaround any star.Jan 2001 - Article in Sunday Times A news report in the Sunday Times from 7 Jan 2001 claimed that several planets were found around CM Draconis. This is incorrect and the article contains several statments that are grossly distorted. For a follow-up, see this article in space.com. Sep 2000 - Results from follow up observations Observations undertaken during spring and summer 2000 rule out most candidates of transiting planets around CM Draconis (see entry for Dec 1999). Among themis the previously best candidate, which had a confidence of 73%. Currently, only 3 candidates remain, which we have been unable to observe at predicted transit times. The probability that one of these candidates turns out to bea real planet is however low. When verification of these remaining candidatesis finished, the TEP project will be completed, with the exception of occasionalfollow ups of eclipse minimum times of CM Draconis for the next few years(see entry for May 2000). May 2000 - Candidate for massive planet found through eclipse minimum timing Small variations in the time of the eclipse minima indicate a massiveplanet candidate with 1.5-3 Jupiter masses and a period of 750 - 1050 daysaround CM Draconis. Verification of this candidate will need 3-4 eclipseminima timing observations per year, for several more years. More detailsare given in a paper in Astronomy and Astrophysics (Vol 358, L5-L8; preprint in postscript) Dec 1999 - Several Planet candidates In a paper in the Astrophysical Journal (Vol. 535, p. 338, preprint in html or postscript) describing the detection probabilities of terrestrial sized planets in the CM Dra system, the TEP group announces several planet candidates, one of them with a confidence of about 70%. This planet would have a diameter of 2.3-2.5 times the Earth's and a period of 22.6 days, positioning it in the habitable zone. Follow-up observations to verify this candidate are sceduled for spring 2000. If verified, this would be the smallest planet found to date. Nov 1998 - An Earth sized planet is found? That is what several newspaper articles suggested the TEP group had found. A scientific paper was published in October 1998 in Astronomy and Astrophysics (Vol 338, p. 479, preprint in postscript , pdf) which gives an overview of the observations of CM Dra from 1994-1996, and a preliminary analysis of the data. There were five events found, that are not incompatible with the transits of planetsof sizes of 2 -2.5 Earth radii. However, the presence of a planet cannotbe concluded from them yet. First, it must be excluded that the observeddrops are false detections. They might result from some other cause, likerare atmospheric variations, or they might be instrumental effects. An evaluation of the significance of these events is the subject of current intensive work. An announcement about the detection of a planet can be made only when such events have been observed with a regularity that can only result from the repeated transits of a planet across its central star. That means, we will have to predict from the current events when further transits should occur again. Only if such predicted transits can be observed, are we certain to have found a planet. For planets significantly larger then 2.5 Earth radii and of periods of less then 60 days, we are confident with over 90% that they are absent, since no event found has amplitudes large enough. April 1998 - A brown dwarf (~60 Jupiter masses)? Massive planets , or brown dwarfs circling an eclipsing binary system will cause a periodic offset in the time of the eclipse minima. No transits are needed to detect a massive planet this way, but one needs to measure very precise times of the eclipse minima. This periodic offset is due to the motion of the eclipsing binary around the common barycenter of the planetary system (= eclipsing binary + planets). Hence, the eclipsing binary is closer or moredistant from the Earth, depending on the position of the massive planet -and light from the binary will arrive a few seconds earlier or later, in rhythmwith the orbital period of the massive planet. This is exactly what Guinan and collaborators from Villanova University claimedto have found (IAU Circular 6864) - a 70 day periodicshift in minimum times with an amplitude of 18 seconds, indicative of a browndwarf with 0.06 solar or 60 Jupiter masses. An analysis of 32 minimum timesobtained by the TEP network (IAU Circular 6875)showed neither the 70day periodicity, nor any other periodicity of more then4 seconds. In fact, the standard deviation of our minimum times is about7 seconds, and that excludes any sinusoidal signal with an amplitude of more then 11 seconds. We are therefore certain that this claimed browndwarf does not exist. The group by Guinan has not published further results(besides the IAU Circular). The presence of a brown dwarf or massive planetin the CM Dra system is however not completely ruled out: our data since1994 have only a coverage long enough to be sensitive to periodicities ofless then a few years. So, longer periodic massive planets may still be thereand could only be found through occasional minimum timing observations spanninga long time line. June 1996 - A Jupiter-sized planet? An announcement (IAU Circular 6423) of a possible transit of a big Jupiter-sized planet, with a temporal faintening of CMDra by 8%, was alos made by the group of Guinan, McCook, and Wright at Villanova University. The TEP group, with a much larger observational coverage of CM Dra -over 700hours-, has never encountered any event of comparable magnitude (see IAU Circular 6425). Also, meanwhile (Nov 1998) we are certain that such a Jupiter-sized planet is absent, as it should have left a clear periodicity in the eclipse minimum times of CM Dra. This claimed transit by Guinan et al. also has never been published. References related to the work by the TEP group and to the Transit method Links to other projects using the transit method Links to other sites related to extrasolar planets and the search for life in the universe: The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopedia The Darwin - space infrared interferometer project's planets page The Astrobiology Web Eric Mamajek's Exoplanet Page 'vaphot', the optimized aperture photmetry package (forIRAF) written for the TEP project is available by ftp from ftp.iac.es . You are the