Ka‘ū News Briefs Saturday, October 7, 2017

Fencing off mouflon sheep and other ungulates, from habitation areas of silverswords and other endangered species,  involves air lifts to high elevations in the Kahuku section of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park this month.  Photo from USGS

HELICOPTER FLIGHTS TO REMOTE KAHUKU IN HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK were announced Friday by the National Park Service. The flights will lift crews, equipment and materials to conduct archeological and wildlife surveys, invasive species control, as well as recovery efforts for the endangered Ka‘ū silversword.

Ka‘ū sliversword recovery efforts will be carried out at the 7,000 foot level in the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Photo by Karl Magnacca

     The Public Notice states that on Thursday, Oct. 12, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., HVNP will shuttle fencing and equipment from ‘Ōla‘a Tract to Wright Road in Volcano. On Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14 and 15, between 9 a.m. and noon, HVNP will transport a crew from Kīlauea helipad to Kahuku Unit at the 8,000 ft. elevation for archeological surveys. On Wednesday, Oct. 18, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., HVNP will shuttle a crew for ungulate surveys and control work in Kahuku between 5,000 ft. and 7,000 ft. elevation.
    On Wednesday, Oct. 18, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., HVNP will shuttle fencing material and equipment to Kahuku at about 7,000 ft. elevation for silversword recovery efforts. On Thursday, Oct. 19, between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., HVNP will shuttle a crew for ungulate surveys and control work in Kahuku between 3,000 ft. and 5,000 ft. elevation. On Tuesday, Oct. 24, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., HVNP will shuttle fencing material and equipment to Kahuku between 2,000 ft. and 3,000 ft. elevation.
     In addition, the notice states that “USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.
     "The park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather.
     "Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities.”

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

The 1917 Curtis relief model of Kīlauea Volcano's summit shows many well-known geologic features, including the summit caldera (large depression), Halemaʻumaʻu (crater within the caldera), Kīlauea Iki (crater at far right),  and elaborate drainage patterns (foreground). Photo by Burr A. Church

MODELING KILAUEA VOLCANO A CENTURY AGO is the subject of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists'Volcano Watch this week:
     In today's age of aerial photography, satellites, and drones, bird's-eye views of geologic features are taken for granted. A century ago, such depictions posed enormous challenges.
     At first glance, the images shown here appear to be aerial photographs of Kīlauea Volcano's summit caldera, but these photos were taken six years before the first airplane overflight. The images actually show a model of the volcano displayed at a Harvard University museum for many decades.
     So, how was the model constructed? And who made it?
     The story began in March 1913, when George Carroll Curtis, an artist, geologist, geographer, and expert in the production of relief models, traveled to the Island of Hawai‘i to make a careful survey of the caldera at the summit of Kīlauea. He established a network of survey flags and took photographs at each using a revolving panoramic camera that provided a complete view the caldera. But progress constructing the model was slow, because Curtis lacked a high altitude perspective of Kīlauea's summit.

J.F. Haworth, II, at left, holding onto the rope of a hot air balloon, took early aerial photos of Kilauea Volcano  using kites and cameras of his own invention. He gave his  patents to the U.S. government for war time photography. Photo from Family of J.F. Haworth

     To solve this problem, Curtis encouraged J.F. Haworth, a wealthy businessman from Pittsburg, to go to Kīlauea and pursue his hobby of flying kites. But these were no ordinary kites. Each box kite was over 11 feet (3.4 m) long and 9 feet (2.7 m) wide. Instead of string, Haworth used a motorized reel of piano wire to launch and tether the kites, which were capable of lifting a payload of about 100 lbs (45 kg). For the Kīlauea study, the payload was a camera positioned on a wire line several hundred feet (about 60 m) below the kite. A small device was sent up the piano wire to trip the camera shutter for each photograph.
  When Haworth arrived at Kīlauea in 1915, he found that kite photography was no picnic on a volcano. High winds at the summit repeatedly dragged the photographer over sharp lava, leaving him bruised and battered. But he finally succeeded in taking a series of photos of Kīlauea Volcano's summit from various altitudes. These aerial photographs enormously sped up the work of Curtis on his model.
     In 1917, the relief map was finally installed in the Geological Section of the Harvard University Museum and opened for public viewing. The circular model was 14 feet (4.3 m) in diameter, and it was built with a scale of 125 feet to an inch (38 m to 25mm), so there was no vertical exaggeration.

This view of Halema'uma'u, as it appeared in the 1917 relief model by George Carroll Curtis, shows fine details around the crater,  including the first road for automobiles, which ended near  the crater rim. The light-colored circular feature around  Halemaʻumaʻu is a nearly continuous escarpment  along which subsidence occurred. Photo by Burr A. Church

    This huge model remained at the Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University until the mid-1970s, when building renovations required that the exhibit be moved. Unfortunately, the size of the model made relocation impractical, so it was dismantled.
    Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has searched, without success, for the original summit photographs taken by Curtis and Haworth. The hope is that they still exist somewhere, preserved in an archive or personal collection of photos. Images by these intrepid photographers from a century ago could shed new light on features that are the subject of current volcano research.
      HVO would like to hear from anyone who knows of these images, or has other historical photographs of Hawaiian volcanoes. Email askHVO@usgs.gov.
     Visit the HVO website, volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo, for past Volcano Watch articles, volcano updates and photos, recent earthquake info, and more. Call for summary updates at 808-967-8862 (Kīlauea) or 808-967-8866 (Mauna Loa). Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Matson will help with the Ocean View Deep Clean on Saturday, Oct. 21, OV Community Center. Photo from Matson

THE OCEAN VIEW DEEP CLEAN project is gearing up for Saturday, Oct. 21. Supported through a grant from Matson Navigation, it will provide containers for large items being disposed of, including broken appliances and furniture. The event begins at 8 a.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Those who would like to volunteer can call 939-7033, Mondays through Fridays from 8 am. to noon and
217-7982 in afternoons and evenings, said Ocean View Community Association President Ron Gall.
     Volunteers need to wear sturdy shoes and gloves, sunscreen, long pants/jeans and hat. OVVC will provide bottled water and lunch for volunteers. "The Community Association is seeking a tire recycler to haul off the many tires dumped in the community," Gall said.
In addition to Matson, the Hawai‘i County Solid Waste Division is providing some assistance.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

KA‘Ū FELL TO KEALAKEHE on Friday in Girls Trojan Volleyball. During the contest at home, JV scores were 20-25, 25-19 and 13-15. Varsity scores were 22-25, 15-25, 25-23 and 13, 25. The next game is Wednesday at Kohala.

Pick up the October edition of The Ka'ū Calendar delivered free to 5,500 mailboxes throughout Ka'ū, from Miloli'i  through Volcano. Also available on stands throughout the district. See it online now at kaucalendar.com

   UPCOMING FALL TROJAN SPORTS: