Kaʻū News Briefs Monday, Nov. 28, 2016

U.H. Hilo and NASA researchers recently wrapped up a Mars simulation deployment at Mauna Ula. Photo from U.H. Hilo

NASA’S AMES RESEARCH CENTER AND UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI-HILO  have completed an 18-day field deployment using terrain in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park that is similar to terrain on the planet Mars. The goal is to prepare for human and robot exploration of Mars in the future. The terrain for the simulation is located around Mauna Ulu.
    A youtube video on the exercise poses the question, “Can astronauts test drive a mission to Mars here on Earth?” See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM-SWMmrOsk

Using terrain in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to simulate Mars, a University of Hawaiʻi-Hilo and NASA crew set up communications.  Photo from NASA’s Ames Research Center

     The mission group, called Biologic Analog Science Association with Lava Terrains - BASALT, included a science team set up at Kīlauea Military Camp and an extra-vehicular field crew at Mauna Ula. The groups interacted via simulated Mars mission communication delays that ranged from five to 15 minutes in length one-way. The effort was to help identify operational concepts and capabilities that enable science and discovery when humans explore Mars – the red planet nearest Earth. This was the second BASALT exercise for this program.

Prepping for Mars exploration around Moaʻula, with U.H. Hilo and NASA team. Photo from NASA’s Ames Research Center

CLIMATE CHANGE IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY by Hawaiʻi state and county government, according to two state and one county official who spoke at a recent forum held by the county Department of Research & Development.
     Bruce Anderson, head of the state Department of Land & Natural Resources Aquatic Resources Division, weighed in. He reported on climate change evidence in the rising temperature of ocean waters, saying sealife is heavily impacted. He reported that approximately half the corals in West Hawaiʻi died in the year 2014-2015. Statewide, 90 percent of corals bleached in 2015 – the  worst recorded Hawaiʻi coral bleaching ever.
    The bleaching phenomenon has been widely reported by the international press, as not only a threat to ocean life but a threat to Hawaiʻi Island tourism which depends on beautiful corals and sealife for snorkeling visitors. The Guardian reported on the bleaching, quoting the Director of the Hawaiʻi Institute on Marine Biology “comparing dead coral reef to a city reduced to ruble.”
   West Hawaiʻi Today, reported that the recent county forum drew the state Aquatic Resources chief to say, “We really can’t do a whole lot about world temperature changes. Let’s face it, we’re on a trajectory that will probably continue as it is for at least a decade or two, even if we can start dramatically reducing emissions.”

Coral bleaching documentation along the west coast of Hawaiʻi Island. Photo form The Nature Conservancy

      Reporter Max Dible wrote that Anderson talked about helping corals through allowing marine life to flourish. “Anderson said creating marine reserves, limiting take on certain species and addressing sedimentation concerns will be key to sustaining corals at what may prove a historical tipping point for marine ecosystems.”
     Dible also quoted Scott Glenn, director of the state Office of Environmental Quality Control. Dible reported that Glenn “said the consensus approach has been to bite off little pieces of the complex problem one at a time, starting with what is already known.” According to the West Hawaiʻi Today story, Glenn talked about state long-term planning, given existing building codes and emergency preparation for such expected disasters as hurricanes. Glenn said, “The idea is applying a climate lens. We look at what we have now, what’s existing, and say if we looked at this from a climate change point of view, does it work? And if it doesn’t, why not? And what can we tweak about it to help make it work? And then, by doing that, we’ll also figure out what do we not have any legislative cover for?”

Ocean water temperatures can be seen daily at a NOAA website http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/bleaching5km/images_current/cur_b05kmnn_sst_wnw.gif

    According to the Gible story, “Glenn said the approach to combating climate change is two-pronged: Mitigation to reduce and eventually eliminate carbon emissions is first, followed by adaption, or figuring out how to live in a world reformed by human-induced climate change.” Glenn referred to the state's Act 234 aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and Act 283, setting climate change adaptation priority guidelines to be meshed with overall state planning.
    The West Hawaiʻi Today story also quoted John DeFries, who heads the county Department of Research & Development. DeFries said the Hawaiian Islands must unite with the roughly 175,000 other islands and 600 million islanders around the world to create a coalition and thereby an international voice on the subject of climate change. “If islands are going to have a voice at the international policy level, we’re going to have to unite,” he said. “Islands contribute the least amount to climate change and will be the first to be impacted. Our motivation is very different than those on the continent.”
See more at westhawaiitoday.com.
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Family members and friends remembered over Thanksgiving weekend  with a Floating Lanterns Ceremony at Punaluʻu Medicine Pond, sponsored by Kaʻū Rural Health Community Association. Photo by Dr. Dexter Hayes

Taiko Drumming honored loved ones at the Floating Lantern Ceremony. Photo by Dr. Dexter Hayes

REGISTER FOR UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I VULCAN VOLLEYBALL CLINIC to be held this Thursday, Dec. 1 at the new Kaʻū District Gym. The clinic, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. is for youth five to 14 years of age. The clinic is expected to feature Vulcan and Trojan volleyball star Marley Strand-Nicholaisen and other Vulcan players who just finished their season. All participants must have a parent sign the Dept. of Parks & Recreation release of claims form and the HI-PAL permission Release Form. Court shoes or rubber sole shoes are required. To register, call Pāhala Community Center at 928-3102 or 854-7316. Community police Officer Blaine Morishita is also helping through the Hawaiʻi Isle Police Activities League and can be reached at 936-7192.

DEADLINE FOR THE ALYSHA & PETE 3-ON-3 BASKETBALL WINTER JAM is this Friday, Dec. 2. The tournament will be held at the new Kaʻū District Gym, Dec. 9-11 with opportunities for adults and youth of all ages. Age groups are ten and under, 12 and under, 14 and under, boys, girls and co-ed. Men and women are also invited to compete. Cost is $10 per person with five players maximum per team. The tournament raises money to help fund Trojan Senior basketball players Pete Dacalio and Alysha Gustafson to travel to the mainland with coach Jen Makuakane to look at colleges who may provide them with sports scholarships. To sign up or donate, call Summer Dacalio at 498-7336, Pete Dacalio at 498-3518 or Alysha Gustafson at 339-0858.