OFFICE OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
IN SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING DATA

MISSION

• coordinate and facilitate the dissemination of Physics Laboratory-generated scientific and engineering data by means of the Internet;
• develop methods and serve as a model for the effective dissemination of scientific and engineering information by means of computer networks.

CURRENT DIRECTIONS

• WWW Dissemination Information. This Office is responsible for PL world wide web (WWW) pages at physics.nist.gov. We produce material for WWW publication, encourage and support the production of material by others, and assure the high quality of disseminated information. We are also engaged with PL Divisions and the NIST Standard Reference Data Program in developing physical reference databases for WWW dissemination. We design and develop effective WWW database interfaces to facilitate access to the data.

  We began providing information to the public in June 1994. We provide a wide array of information ranging from physical reference data to staff and organization lists, technical activities, publication lists, research and calibration facilities, and news and general interest items. Recently, there were over 590,000 page requests in one month (fully half from our databases); the rate of use continues to increase rapidly.

HIGHLIGHTS

• NIST Atomic Spectra Database 2.0 and Bibliography Online. This Office, in collaboration with the Atomic Spectroscopy Group of the Atomic Physics Division and the NIST Standard Reference Data Program, completed version 2.0 of the Atomic Spectra Database. The database has a completely new engine and vastly expanded data that integrates its atomic energy level information with its transition probability information. URL: physics.nist.gov/asd.

  Also, the Atomic Spectral Line Broadening Bibliographic Database, containing 800 references, was developed and is available on the WWW. URL: physics.nist.gov/linebrbib. (K. Olsen)

• Easier Access to Data Made Available. The Elemental Data Index (EDI) was developed in order to provide access to the holdings of PL online data organized by element. It is intended to simplify the process of retrieving online scientific data for a specific element. Data accessible through this index include: atomic spectroscopy, ionization cross sections, x-ray absorption, dosimetry, radionuclide half lives, atomic weights and isotopic compositions, and others. URL: physics.nist.gov/EDI.

  A sitemap and search engine were also added to the website in order to assist users in finding information. (M. Zucker, J. Coursey, and R. Dragoset)

• Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions Database Available. Atomic weights are available for 111 elements, and isotopic compositions are given when appropriate. This database was designed and made available so that the data could be incorporated into another database under development. URL: physics.nist.gov/Comp. (J. Coursey and R. Dragoset)

• New Values of Fundamental Constants Online. The Office of ECSED, in collaboration with the Fundamental Constants Data Center, made available values of the constants recommended for international use by CODATA. Termed the "1998 CODATA Recommended Values," they are generally recognized worldwide for use in all fields of science and technology. URL: physics.nist.gov/constants. (P. Mohr)

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES 1999 - Contents

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Online: April 2000