"Surface" can refer to several different things depending on the context: 1. **General Definition**: In common terms, the surface of an object is the outermost layer or boundary that can be seen or touched. It can refer to any kind of physical surface, such as the surface of a table, water, or the skin of a fruit. 2. **Physics and Mathematics**: In these fields, a surface is often described as a two-dimensional manifold.
"Optical space" can refer to a couple of concepts depending on the context in which it is used. Here are two common interpretations: 1. **Optical Space in Physics and Optics**: In physics, particularly in optics, "optical space" typically refers to the region where light propagates or interacts with various media. This includes the areas where light rays travel, where optical phenomena such as refraction, reflection, and diffraction occur.
Optical path length (OPL) is a concept used in optics to describe the effective distance that light travels through a medium, taking into account both the physical distance and the refractive index of the medium. It is defined as the product of the distance that light travels through a medium and the refractive index of that medium.
RIMFAX, which stands for "Radar Imager for Mars's Subsurface Experiment," is a ground-penetrating radar system onboard NASA's Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021. The primary purpose of RIMFAX is to analyze the geological structure beneath the Martian surface by sending radar waves into the ground and measuring the signals that bounce back.
The plane of incidence is an important concept in optics, particularly in the study of reflection and refraction of light. It refers to the geometric plane defined by three key elements: 1. The incident ray: The incoming light ray that strikes a surface (such as a mirror or a boundary between two media). 2. The normal line: The perpendicular line to the surface at the point of incidence. This line is crucial for analyzing the angles of incidence and reflection.
The Smith–Helmholtz invariant is a concept in the field of fluid dynamics, specifically in the study of turbulence and vortex dynamics. It refers to certain quantities that remain constant (invariant) under specific transformations related to the flow field. In a more general context, the Smith–Helmholtz invariant can be applied to incompressible flows, particularly when analyzing vortex dynamics in three-dimensional flows.
Specular reflection is the mirror-like reflection of light (or other waves) from a surface, where incoming light rays are reflected at specific angles. This phenomenon occurs on smooth surfaces, such as a calm body of water, glass, or shiny metal. In specular reflection, the angle at which the incoming light strikes the surface (the angle of incidence) is equal to the angle at which it is reflected (the angle of reflection).
The Journal of Geophysics and Engineering is a scientific publication that focuses on the intersection of geophysics and engineering disciplines. It typically covers a wide range of topics, including but not limited to the application of geophysical methods in engineering practice, geological hazard assessment, environmental geophysics, mineral exploration, and the study of subsurface phenomena.
The Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes research articles covering various aspects of volcanology and geothermal sciences. It seeks to advance the understanding of volcanic processes, eruption mechanics, and geothermal systems, including the study of volcanic rocks, gases, and the effects of volcanic activity on the environment and society. Papers published in the journal can include observational studies, experimental research, theoretical work, and reviews that contribute to the field's body of knowledge.
Radioglaciology is a branch of glaciology that focuses on the use of various radio wave techniques to study glaciers and ice sheets. This field utilizes methods such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and microwave remote sensing to investigate the structure, dynamics, and properties of ice.
Colaba Observatory, also known as the Colaba Observatory and Marine Observatory, is a scientific research facility located in Colaba, Mumbai, India. Established in the 19th century, it primarily served as an astronomical observatory and played a significant role in various scientific studies, particularly in the fields of astronomy, meteorology, and geophysics. The observatory was involved in various important measurements, including timekeeping and earth's magnetic field studies.
The Gibilmanna Observatory, also known as Osservatorio Astronomico di Gibilmanna, is an astronomical observatory located in Sicily, Italy. Situated near the town of Cefalù, it is part of a network of observatories that contribute to various fields of astronomical research. Established in the 20th century, Gibilmanna Observatory is notable for its role in the study of celestial bodies and phenomena.
The International Real-time Magnetic Observatory Network (IRMON) is a global initiative focused on monitoring and studying Earth's magnetic field in real time. The network consists of various magnetic observatories that continuously measure geomagnetic variations. These measurements are crucial for understanding various geophysical processes, space weather phenomena, and their impacts on both technology and the environment.
Mauna Loa Observatory is a prominent research facility located on the Big Island of Hawaii, atop Mauna Loa, one of the largest volcanoes on Earth. It is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is recognized for its long-term monitoring of atmospheric gases, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2).
The Awards of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) recognize outstanding research and contributions in the fields of geosciences. The EGU, an organization that promotes geosciences in Europe and beyond, presents various awards and medals annually to scientists for their achievements and significant contributions to Earth, planetary, and space sciences. Some of the notable awards and medals given by the EGU include: 1. **Vening Meinesz Medal**: Awarded for outstanding contributions in geophysics.
The Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is one of the highest honors awarded by the society, recognizing outstanding achievements in the field of astronomy and geophysics. Established in 1824, the medal is awarded annually to individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of these sciences. Recipients of the Gold Medal are typically distinguished for their research, discoveries, or innovations that have had a profound impact on our understanding of the universe and its phenomena.
The Vetlesen Prize is a prestigious award in the field of earth sciences, established in 1996 by the Vetlesen Foundation. It is awarded to individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to the understanding of the Earth and its processes. The prize aims to recognize theoretical, practical, and innovative research that enhances our knowledge of the Earth, including areas such as geology, oceanography, meteorology, and environmental science.
The William Gilbert Award is a prestigious recognition in the field of healthcare. It is presented annually by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) to individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to the field of health information and technology. The award is named after William Gilbert, a pioneer in the integration of healthcare and information technology. The Gilbert Award highlights excellence in leadership, innovation, and the advancement of healthcare practices through the use of information technology.
The European Geosciences Union (EGU) publishes a range of academic journals that cover various fields within the geosciences. These journals are peer-reviewed and aim to disseminate high-quality research findings to the global scientific community. The EGU's journals focus on areas such as Earth sciences, planetary sciences, atmospheric sciences, ocean sciences, and more.
Jaime Gómez-Hernández is a prominent figure known for his contributions in the field of hydrogeology and environmental engineering. His work often focuses on groundwater modeling, contaminant transport, and the interaction between surface water and groundwater. He has published extensively in scientific journals and is recognized for his research on aquifer systems and their management.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 2.
    You can publish local OurBigBook lightweight markup files to either https://OurBigBook.com or as a static website
    .
    Figure 3.
    Visual Studio Code extension installation
    .
    Figure 4.
    Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation
    .
    Figure 5.
    Web editor
    . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
    Video 4.
    OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo
    . Source.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact