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| Does Van Gogh's Starry Night remind you of digital depictions of hurricanes going by Hawai`i? Media outlets see similarities. |
VAN GOGH’S STARRY NIGHT is being circulated through social media and on Hawai`i News Now broadcast as an image that harmonizes with digital depictions of the hurricanes going by the Hawaiian Islands. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu is expected to pick up responsibility of reporting on Jimena Tuesday afternoon as it moves closer and Ignacio moves off to the northwest.
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| Social media and Hawai`i News Now are comparing patterns of Pacific storms to Van Gogh's Starry Night. |
Hurricane Ignacio threatened Hawai`i Island earlier but is tracking to the north of the state. Hurricane Jimena is behind Ignacio but expected to make a turn to the north before reaching Hawai`i.
Another disturbance is developing to the east of Ignacio.
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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL CONSIDERS two resolutions introduced by Ka`u’s Council member Maile David this week. The council meets Wednesday at 9 a.m. at Council Chambers in Hilo.
David is proposing an amendment to Hawai`i County’s General Plan relating to the principles of the ahupua`a system. David’s Resolution 256-15 calls for the General Plan to apply values, philosophy and geographical features of the ahupua`a system as a land use model to regulatory decisions and government programs, fulfilling sustainability goals and land use policies with consideration for resource management.
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| Maile David |
David’s Resolution 258-15 proposes another amendment to the county’s General Plan relating to roadway access in Ka`u during times of flooding. David wants the county to investigate potential solutions to prevent the closure of Hawai`i Belt Road due to flooding, including improving, acquiring and maintaining alternate routes.
A communication document from David states, “During times of heavy rainfall, flooding along the Hawai`i Belt Road in the Ka`u District still occurs whereby streams in the area often exceed the capacity of existing bridges and culverts and flood the roadway, resulting in temporary closure of the Hawai`i Belt Road; and such road closures severely impair access to the district of Ka`u from surrounding areas and to essential services and shelters.”
A communication document from David states, “During times of heavy rainfall, flooding along the Hawai`i Belt Road in the Ka`u District still occurs whereby streams in the area often exceed the capacity of existing bridges and culverts and flood the roadway, resulting in temporary closure of the Hawai`i Belt Road; and such road closures severely impair access to the district of Ka`u from surrounding areas and to essential services and shelters.”
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HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEES meet tomorrow at Council Chambers in Hilo, with Planning at 9 a.m.; Public Works & Parks and Recreation, 9:30 a.m.; Finance, 10 a.m.; and Governmental Relations & Economic Development, 1 p.m.
Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Na`alehu State Office Building.
All meetings are streamed live at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings.
Agendas are also available on the website.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
“WHAT HAPPENS TO LAVA FLOWS after they enter the ocean?” Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists ask in the current issue of Volcano Watch. “Does lava continue to flow exactly as it did on land, or does it behave differently after it enters the ocean?”
The scientists explain, “The availability of high-resolution bathymetry off the coasts of volcanic islands like Hawai`i allows us to get a peek at flows that have continued to advance under water. Geologists studying recent lava flows in the Azores, a volcanic island chain 1,360 kilometers (850 miles) west of Portugal, could easily distinguish the underwater extent of lava flows that had originated on land. They found that the flows behaved differently underwater, primarily due to rapid cooling by water and by buoyancy of the advancing flows.
“Water can cool the surface of a lava flow more efficiently than can air, so lava flowing in water develops a solidified skin very rapidly. However, when the crust reaches moderate thickness, it insulates the lava flow interior just as well as it does in air. This results in flows stalling after advancing short distances below the surf zone, pressurizing (or inflating, like pahoehoe flows) and advancing farther through multiple breakouts. The most common form was dubbed ‘dendritic,’ because multiple breakouts occurred along a broad flow front, several of which branched again.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
BUSINESS SPACE IS AVAILABLE for rent at the open location where Kama`aina Kuts and Styles by Elise are located in Na`alehu. Call Corrine at 937-1840 for more information.
HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEES meet tomorrow at Council Chambers in Hilo, with Planning at 9 a.m.; Public Works & Parks and Recreation, 9:30 a.m.; Finance, 10 a.m.; and Governmental Relations & Economic Development, 1 p.m.
Ka`u residents can participate via videoconferencing at Na`alehu State Office Building.
All meetings are streamed live at hawaiicounty.gov. Click on Council Meetings.
Agendas are also available on the website.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
A PROPOSED OCEAN VIEW RANCHOS project that would cover 26 lots with solar panels is the topic of a story in this morning’s West Hawai`i Today. Bret Yager wrote that “Ka`u residents angered by a massive solar energy project are changing county law to prevent another of its kind from landing in a residential area.”
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| Rep. Richard Creagan |
The change refers to Ka`u Community Development Plan policy that would require such projects to apply for a special permit at the county level. Currently, state allow allows these projects on ag land even if it is mostly residential, which is how many of the county’s nonconforming subdivisions are zoned.
“The state figures ag land is ag land, but they just didn’t consider the big, nonconforming subdivisions,” Loren Heck told Yager.
Ka`u’s state Rep. Richard Creagan said, “The state law was so broad and unrestricted, it was unfortunate. The devil was in the details, and we didn’t put in the details.” Creagan told the reporter that O`ahu Rep. Chris Lee, chair of the House Energy & Environmental Protection Committee, has committed to revisiting the law.
Sandy Shelton, a Ranchos residents who has collected hundred of signatures from neighbors opposing the project, told Yager, “Solar companies should be required to take a holistic approach that protects the residents and the ecology of the area.”
See westhawaiitoday.com.
“The state figures ag land is ag land, but they just didn’t consider the big, nonconforming subdivisions,” Loren Heck told Yager.
Ka`u’s state Rep. Richard Creagan said, “The state law was so broad and unrestricted, it was unfortunate. The devil was in the details, and we didn’t put in the details.” Creagan told the reporter that O`ahu Rep. Chris Lee, chair of the House Energy & Environmental Protection Committee, has committed to revisiting the law.
Sandy Shelton, a Ranchos residents who has collected hundred of signatures from neighbors opposing the project, told Yager, “Solar companies should be required to take a holistic approach that protects the residents and the ecology of the area.”
See westhawaiitoday.com.
“WHAT HAPPENS TO LAVA FLOWS after they enter the ocean?” Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists ask in the current issue of Volcano Watch. “Does lava continue to flow exactly as it did on land, or does it behave differently after it enters the ocean?”
The scientists explain, “The availability of high-resolution bathymetry off the coasts of volcanic islands like Hawai`i allows us to get a peek at flows that have continued to advance under water. Geologists studying recent lava flows in the Azores, a volcanic island chain 1,360 kilometers (850 miles) west of Portugal, could easily distinguish the underwater extent of lava flows that had originated on land. They found that the flows behaved differently underwater, primarily due to rapid cooling by water and by buoyancy of the advancing flows.
“Water can cool the surface of a lava flow more efficiently than can air, so lava flowing in water develops a solidified skin very rapidly. However, when the crust reaches moderate thickness, it insulates the lava flow interior just as well as it does in air. This results in flows stalling after advancing short distances below the surf zone, pressurizing (or inflating, like pahoehoe flows) and advancing farther through multiple breakouts. The most common form was dubbed ‘dendritic,’ because multiple breakouts occurred along a broad flow front, several of which branched again.
“Lava flows also become buoyant underwater. The flows don’t float because their density is still greater than the density of seawater, but they flow more slowly. This is because upward buoyancy forces partly counteract the downslope pull by gravitational forces.
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| Steaming water marked the offshore course of lava entering the ocean on June 2, 1950. Photo from USGS/HVO courtesy of U.S. Air Force |
“The combination of buoyancy and enhanced cooling slows lava flows moving offshore along the sea bed, thereby causing them to pressurize and thicken.
“High-resolution bathymetry is also available for several offshore areas of the Island of Hawai`i, and we are looking for these same effects on lava flows that entered the ocean north of Kailua-Kona on the west side of Hawai`i. The Hu`ehu`e and Ka`upulehu lava flows from Hualalai volcano entered the ocean along this coastline, as did the pahoehoe and `a`a branches of the 1859 Mauna Loa lava flow. Despite the fact that these flows are tens of kilometers long on land, their submarine lengths are less than six km (3.8 mi).
“Interpretations from recent lava flows in the Azores seem to also be true in Hawai`i. For example, the 1859 Mauna Loa lava flow advanced over 50 km (31 mi) to the sea in eight days, based on eyewitness accounts; however, the flow appears to have advanced only about two km (1.2 mi) offshore even though it remained active for months.
“High-resolution bathymetry is also available for several offshore areas of the Island of Hawai`i, and we are looking for these same effects on lava flows that entered the ocean north of Kailua-Kona on the west side of Hawai`i. The Hu`ehu`e and Ka`upulehu lava flows from Hualalai volcano entered the ocean along this coastline, as did the pahoehoe and `a`a branches of the 1859 Mauna Loa lava flow. Despite the fact that these flows are tens of kilometers long on land, their submarine lengths are less than six km (3.8 mi).
“Interpretations from recent lava flows in the Azores seem to also be true in Hawai`i. For example, the 1859 Mauna Loa lava flow advanced over 50 km (31 mi) to the sea in eight days, based on eyewitness accounts; however, the flow appears to have advanced only about two km (1.2 mi) offshore even though it remained active for months.
“In the South Kona District, some high-resolution bathymetry exists, but coverage is spotty, so we rely on other evidence for how far recent flows advanced underwater. Just like on land, the slope of the ground over which lava moves affects its speed, with lava flowing faster over steeper slopes. Offshore slopes along the northwest coast of the Island of Hawai`i are 50–100 m (164–328 ft) deep at one km (0.6 mi) from the coast. Much steeper topographies are encountered south of Ho`okena in South Kona; depths there are around 500 m (1,640 ft) at a distance of one km (0.6 mi) from the coast.
“In 1919 and 1950, Mauna Loa lava flows in South Kona rushed downslope about 20 km (12 mi) to the ocean and continued to flow into the ocean for weeks. While the ocean entries were active, steam was observed rising from the ocean surface 0.8 to five km (0.5–3.5 mi) offshore, with many fish killed in the vicinity. Notably, several of the fish were varieties never seen before. Later study by ichthyologists confirmed that these deep-sea creatures probably came from depths of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft), suggesting that the flow may have advanced 2–4 km (1.2–2.4 mi) offshore in both cases to reach those depths.
“The slowing of lava flows as they enter the ocean may help explain some aspects of lava delta development and, more broadly, volcanic island development. When lava next enters the ocean in Hawai`i, we may be able to use this information to better assess the extent of any hazards the lava delta and underwater lava flow pose to visitors and near-shore boat traffic.”
“In 1919 and 1950, Mauna Loa lava flows in South Kona rushed downslope about 20 km (12 mi) to the ocean and continued to flow into the ocean for weeks. While the ocean entries were active, steam was observed rising from the ocean surface 0.8 to five km (0.5–3.5 mi) offshore, with many fish killed in the vicinity. Notably, several of the fish were varieties never seen before. Later study by ichthyologists confirmed that these deep-sea creatures probably came from depths of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft), suggesting that the flow may have advanced 2–4 km (1.2–2.4 mi) offshore in both cases to reach those depths.
“The slowing of lava flows as they enter the ocean may help explain some aspects of lava delta development and, more broadly, volcanic island development. When lava next enters the ocean in Hawai`i, we may be able to use this information to better assess the extent of any hazards the lava delta and underwater lava flow pose to visitors and near-shore boat traffic.”
KA`U HIGH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAMS have a busy week. They play Makualani today, St. Joseph tomorrow and Parker Friday, all at 6 p.m. on their home court. Tonights’ matches were rescheduled from an earlier date.
To comment on or like this story, go to facebook.com/kaucalendar.
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| Dick Hershberger takes participants on A Walk into the Past tomorrow and every other Tuesday. Photo by Ron Johnson |
KILAUEA DRAMA & ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK presents A Walk into the Past tomorrow in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. The living history program features Ka`u resident Dick Hershberger bringing back to life Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, founder of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and a prominent figure in the history of the study of volcanoes. Free performances are held every other Tuesday at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Meet at Kilauea Visitor Center. Park entrance fees apply.
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
BUSINESS SPACE IS AVAILABLE for rent at the open location where Kama`aina Kuts and Styles by Elise are located in Na`alehu. Call Corrine at 937-1840 for more information.
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| See kaucalendar.com/KauCalendar_August2015.pdf. |
