Ka`u News Briefs Thursday, June 22, 2017

Ship and submarine repairing and building for the military could become a much bigger industry in Hawai`i,
if plans to increase the U.S. military fleet from 305 to 355 go through, says Sen. Mazie Hirono, who
advises to balance military and domestic needs.  See story below.
Photo from Ship Repair Association of Hawai`i

THE MUSIC PROGRAM AT THE VOLCANO SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES has received an outpouring of aloha and generous support of Volcano community members and businesses, following the theft of instruments and sound equipment in May.
     In addition to many donations of instruments, community members gave nearly $6,000 to the music program. The Volcano Winery, in partnership with Grand to Grand Ultra, gifted the school with a check for $1,500 for the purchase of new instruments and sound equipment. The Volcano Art Center also donated $1,000 for the school’s music program.

Nearly $6,000 has been raised to support the music program at
Volcano School of Arts & Sciences following theft of
music instruments. Photo from Volcano School

     Music and the arts are not just extra-curricular at Volcano School. They "are an important part of the learning process through arts integration and creative expression," said a statement from the school.
     "Students and staff are deeply appreciative of the tremendous generosity of The Volcano Winery, Grand to Grand Ultra, the Volcano Art Center, and the many individuals who donated instruments, equipment, and money to support the music program. Students and staff express our heartfelt thanks for the incredible community support that provided a very happy outcome to an unfortunate incident."

      Volcano School is a PreK-8 public charter school. Call 808-985-9800 to inquire about enrollment for the 2017-2018 school-year. Visit www.volcanoschool.net to learn more about the school. Save the date.
     The Volcano Winery will sponsor the Harvest Festival fundraiser for Volcano School again on Sept. 10. Tickets go on sale soon.

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THE U.S. SENATE HEALTH CARE proposal, released on Thursday, drew quick response from Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz. Among Hirono's tweets:

     "#Trumpcare would hurt Americans living with illnesses like #kidneycancer. As @POTUS says, that's mean. #kidneycancerday. Breakthroughs in research wouldn't be able to exist w/out an + in funding. We must ensure programs get backing to get off the ground."

     Hirono also tweeted, "In Hawai`i, we have a word for what Senate Republicans are doing with #Trumpcare. It's shibai- or as it's more widely known, B.S. #Trumpcare guts Medicaid and eliminates Medicaid expansion, depriving millions of Americans access to this critical program. Millions of people in this country are very concerned about what this bill does." #msactivist @maziehirono."
     Another Hirono tweet, "To Americans living with serious and chronic diseases, #Trumpcare sends a simple message: you're on your own."

      Schatz said he read the bill right after it came out Thursday morning and went on CNN. He said that the Senate health bill isn't "less mean" than the House bill, which Trump called "Mean." Schaz said that the Senate bill drafted by a few Republican senators behind closed doors, "actually went totally in the opposite direction. They cut Medicaid really deeply. They basically change the nature of the Medicaid  program and make massive cuts....specifically for the purpose of giving a tax cut of about $800 billion dollars to the wealthiest Americans. There is no reason to make a wealth transfer from regular people to rich people but this is what they are are doing in this bill." 

     Schatz told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that Democrats are willing to work in a bipartisan process to improve the existing Affordable Care Act.

     Schatz tweeted: "Forgot to mention that the tax on tanning salons is repealed in the Senate bill. Sigh;" and "Hey Republicans don't listen to me. But ignore AARP at your peril." He referred to the AARP, which Thursday, called on the Senate to reject the health bill. Also calling for rejection was the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and many other health professional organizations.

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An AARP image for citizens standing for health care.
Image from AARP

AARP RESPONDED TO THE HEALTH CARE BILL released Thursday by the U.S. Senate.
     Wrote AARP: "This new Senate bill was crafted in secrecy behind closed doors without a single hearing or open debate—and it shows. The Senate bill would hit millions of Americans with higher costs and result in less coverage for them. AARP is adamantly opposed to the Age Tax, which would allow insurance companies to charge older Americans five times more for coverage than everyone else while reducing tax credits that help make insurance more affordable.
     “AARP is also deeply concerned that the Senate bill cuts Medicaid funding that would strip health coverage from millions of low-income and vulnerable Americans who depend on the coverage, including 17 million poor seniors and children and adults with disabilities. The proposed Medicaid cuts would leave millions, including our most vulnerable seniors, at risk of losing the care they need and erode seniors’ ability to live in their homes and communities.
     “The Senate bill also cuts funding for Medicare which weakens the programs ability to pay benefits and leaves the door wide open to benefit cuts and Medicare vouchers. AARP has long opposed proposals that cut benefits or weaken Medicare.
     “As we did with all 435 Members of the House of Representatives, AARP will also hold all 100 Senators accountable for their votes on this harmful health care bill. Our members care deeply about their health care and have told us repeatedly that they want to know where their elected officials stand. We strongly urge the Senate to reject this bill.”

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SEN. MAZIE HIRONO WILL UNDERGO SURGERY next week and announced Thursday that her Stage Four cancer for which one of her kidney's was recently removed,  is less aggressive than originally thought, enabling surgeons to remove part of her seventh rib which also has a tumor. "The Senator expects a full recovery," said a statement from her office.

Sen. Mazie Hirono points to Pres. Donald Trump calling the Republican
 health care proposals "Mean."  Photo from Office of Mazie Hirono

     In an interview with KITV newswoman Paula Akana, the broadcaster asked Hirono, "The cancer was found during a routine physical in preparation for eye surgery. It showed up on an x-ray. This with a 69-year-old woman who was last hospitalized when she was 17. Did you, when you look back now, have any kind of symptoms?"

     Hirono replied, "Yes, I did, but I ignored them. I have a tumor on my seventh rib, and for a while I felt this weird kind of a tightness sensation, a bit of pain. I just thought it was a muscle spasm or something and I ignored it. I’m just glad that my cancer was caught early enough because if it weren't for that exam that I mentioned to you I’d still be walking around thinking everything was fine when everything wasn't fine."

     Akana commented on Hirono's energy and work ethic. "Don't expect it to slow her down. It was hard to keep up with the Senator as she walked the capitol going from conference calls to chambers to news conferences. The Energizer Bunny clearly loves what she does. And she isn’t retiring anytime soon."

     Said Hirono: "There's work to do. I’ve been privileged to do what I do for over 30 years and I believe that there is justice. So it keeps me going and I have work to do."

    Akana reported that top on Hirono's list is immigration reform and health care. "Hirono says her experience has now made health care a personal battle."
     Said Hirono: "I just thought that major health issues happen to other people but this really taught me one thing: it can happen to any one of us. All of us- one diagnosis from a major illness. So as we sit here debating health care, it’s even more important that people have the health care that they need."
     The surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday at Georgetown University Hospital. Hirono will be hospitalized for a day or two, and said will be back at work as soon as possible.

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26 retweets25 likesSenator Mazie Hirono added,

Pearl Harbor Shipyard and other repair and maintenance facilities would
become more important and expand to handle an increase from 308 to 355
military ships proposed by the new federal administration.

BALANCING MILITARY INVESTMENT WITH  DOMESTIC PROGRAMS is important, said Sen. Mazie  Hirono,  Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee. She said on Wednesday that she has heard from Navy leadership on the Navy’s shipbuilding plan and operational needs, including the goal of increasing submarines and major surface combatant force levels from the previously projected need of 308 ships to 355. "While investments in our national security are essential, Senator Hirono reminded her colleagues of the need to balance military investments with critical domestic programs," said a statement from her office.

      “We all learned a lesson in 2013 when sequester was allowed to take effect—in fact, some in our industrial base are still working through the aftermath of that fiasco,” said Hirono. “Yet here we are, six years later, living under the caps, and in fear of sequestration. Funding for critical programs, both defense and non-defense, is not an either or proposition. We cannot enact the priorities and programs discussed today until we lift the caps and eliminate the fear of sequester.”

Hawai`i shipyards are strategically placed to build and make repairs
for the Pacific Fleet.

      Under current policy, the Navy plans to base 60 percent of its ships in the Asia-Pacific region. The new total of 355 ships would equate to an estimated increase of about 28 ships in the region. These additional ships would require increases in the number of sailors, infrastructure, and the capacity of shipyards. Meeting these needs would require new job-creating investments in Hawai`i, including to support Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, which continues to play a vital role in keeping the Pacific fleet ready for action, said the Hirono statement.

       As part of Hirono’s concern about protecting Hawai`i, Alaska and the continental U.S. from long-range missiles, she also asked questions about the ship radar tested Air and Missile Defense Radar. This radar has been tested at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai.

      This hearing was one of a series of committee hearings to consider the Fiscal Year 2018 defense budget request and drafting of the National Defense Authorization Act, legislation that sets Department of Defense funding levels and policy each year.

Weave a Small Decorative Fish, Fri, June 23, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Participants use nui (coconut fronds). Free.

Stained Glass II: Panel Lamp, Sat – Sun, June 24 – July 8, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Claudia McCall teaches students how to create their own stained glass table lamp. $150/$135 VAC members; $15 supply fee. 967-8222

Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship (He Pilina Wehena ‘Ole), Sat, June 24, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change & subsequent restoration can be observed. Free. nps.gov/havo

www.kaucalendar.com

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017

Ka`u News Briefs Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Office of Hawaiian Affairs has released a major study on the health of Hawaiian men. See story below. Image from OHA

A 4.5 EARTHQUAKE SHOOK KA`U TODAY.  The epicenter was northeast of South Point, 23 miles beneath the sea between Loihi Seamount and Ka Lae, southwest of Pahala. The quake was a fit and start, sending some people scurrying to safe places as it started small, stopped for a second and started again, which sometimes means the bigger one is arriving. However, there were few aftershocks and no damage reported.

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THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND, which has helped conserve tens of thousands of acres across the U.S. since 1964, some of it locally, would receive an 84 percent cut in the Trump Administration budget, as proposed by the new U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. The Land and Water Conservation Fund, in place since 1964, receives $900 million annually from energy companies drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf of the U.S. The purpose is to support National Parks and other federal, state and local conservation efforts with the non-taxpayer funding.
       Such funding has helped double the size of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park through the purchase of the Kahuku Unit. It has also funded Ala Kahakai Trail purchases and requests have been made to dedicate part of the funding toward acquisitions of thousands of acres around the Great Crack, Pohue Bay and Waikapuna in Ka`u.

      At Tuesday's Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Sen. Mazie Hirono questioned the Secretary of the Interior, reminding Zinke:

      “You said a number of times in response to our questions that this budget is what a balanced budget looks like. Does this budget balance resource extraction with conservation?”

The Kahuku Unit of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park was added with
funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which faces an
83 percent cut in the proposed federal budget. Janice Wei/NPS Photo

       Her line of questioning set the stage to bring up the Land and Water Conservation Fund, created over 50 years ago to balance natural resource extraction with conservation of the nation’s land and water resources. In recent years, LWCF has provided critical land acquisition funding for Hawai`i’s Island Forests at Risk proposal. However, the Trump Administration’s fiscal year 2018 budget zeros out all funding for land acquisitions from the LWCF.

      “When you were here for confirmation hearings you were a big supporter…of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. That fund is supposed to be a conservation program that is funded by oil drilling revenues and yet this fund is cut by 84 percent,” said Hirono. 

     “The reason that I’m particularly interested in the strength of the Land and Water Conservation Fund is that it is a very bipartisan-supported fund. Hawai`i has submitted a proposal that obtains funding from the LWCF and our proposal is called Island Forests at Risk. It protects water resources, improves ecosystems, etc. So has your commitment to the LWCF changed? Because this fund is cut by 84 percent in the President’s budget, which you support.”       

      Since her service began in the U.S. House of Representatives, Hirono has been working to secure federal support for land acquisitions in Hawai`i and has been a strong supporter of federal resources for conservation.
     For the first time in FY 2016 the Obama Administration’s budget ranked Island Forests at Risk high enough for the National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to acquire lands that protect native forests and watersheds that are essential to the recovery of threatened and endangered species and cultural resource protection. Additional funding for purchasing these parcels was provided in FY 2017. "However, zeroing out funding for land acquisitions in the FY 2018 budget proposal could halt these important conservation efforts," said Hirono.

This non-tax payer funding from oil and gas companies to support conservation
would be cut by 83 percent in the new Trump budget.
Image from Land & Water Conservation Fund Coalition

      The Trump Administration’s FY 2018 proposed budget for the Department of the Interior is $11.8 billion, a 12 percent overall cut below funding provided in FY 2017, and the LWCF is not the only conservation program that will take a major hit if the FY 2018 funding levels are approved by Congress. The budget also includes a 13 percent reduction in National Park Service’s budget, a 15 percent reduction in the U.S. Geological Survey’s budget, a 14 percent reduction in U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s budget, and a 22 percent reduction in the Office of Insular Affairs’ budget from FY 2017 levels.

     The National Park Service and USGS are important employers in Ka`u.

     

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`O KA`U KAKOU SCHOLARSHIPS total $4,000 this year, provided to students in higher education. The  local volunteer organization has awarded scholarships based on academic achievement, community service, honors and awards and a written essay.

     The following are the recipients: Emmett Enriques, who will be attending California Baptist University; Tiare-Lee Shibuya, attending the University of Hawai`i; Evan Enriques, attending Stanford University; Rochelle Koi, attending the University of Hawai`i; Addison Enriques, attending Concordia University Irvine; Kamrie Koi, attending the University of Hawaii; Avery Enriques, attending Grand Canyon University; and Chloe Gan, attending California State Polytechnic University.

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A 137-FOOT TALL STEEL LATTICE RADIO TOWER WITH A MICROWAVE DISH and two, two-way radio antennas and related structures, are proposed for 2,178 square feet of land in Ocean View, also the location of the fire station. The address is 92-6091 Orchid Circle Mauka at  the intersection with Ocean View Parkway. The County's  Department of Public Works is asking for the permit from the Windward Planning Commission. The request is on the agenda for 9 a.m. at the commission meeting on Thursday, July 6 at the Aupuni Center Conference room on Pauahi Street in Hilo. Testimony can be given and the meeting accessed locally from the interactive video communication site at the Old Na`alehu Courthouse.

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The well-being of Hawaiian kāne is a new 45-page report. See http://www.oha.org/kanehealth.

TRANSFORMING THE HEALTH OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN MEN - Kānehōʻālani is a new publication by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The 45-page report on the well-being of Hawaiian kāne builds upon the E Ola Mau study, developed by a group of scholars in the mid-1980s, which led to the passage of the federal Native Hawaiian Health Act.
     Kānehōʻālani is grounded in data gleaned from various state departments, federal survey systems, among other sources. However, what sets Kānehōʻālani’s apart from previous research is its wide-ranging scope and cultural emphasis. The report tracks health across an individual’s lifespan from, keiki to kupuna, while also examining how many different factors impact health, such as education, occupation, incarceration and housing – collectively referred to as the social determinants of health. The report also underscores the important role of males in traditional Hawaiian customs, which may
offer a cultural road map to improve health outcomes. OHA is developing a similar report on the health of Native Hawaiian women, slated for release in May 2018, which coincides with Women’s Health Month.
          To view Kānehōʻālani: Transforming the Health of Native Hawaiian Men, visit http://www.oha.org/kanehealth.

Of the 1,360,301 State population, 289,970 (21.3%) were Native Hawaiians, with nearly one-fifth, 18.9% lived in
Hawai‘i County,Of the 289,970 Native Hawaiians in Hawai‘i, 145,849 or 50.3% were kāne, with a median age 26.3 years. The median age for the 681,243 State males was 37.2 years. ∫ In 2010, there were 527,077 Native Hawaiians in the United
States: 45% living in the Continental U.S. and 55% in Hawai‘i. 

     Kamana‘opono Crabbe, OHA Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive Officer, said that "The Kanehoalani Native Hawaiian Men’s Health Report is the first ever focus on Hawaiian men’s health that looks at compiling medical, health, chronic diseases, behavioral health, some of the more socio-economic challenges, but also taking a look from a cultural lens to paint a clearer picture of Native Hawaiian men’s health issues among our kāne."

Kamana`opono Crab, OHA Ka Pouhana/Chief Executive Officer.
Photo from OHA

He said that "OHA’s role was really to accumulate the data from Department of Health. They release the results to the public but they don’t disaggregate it, they don’t break it down by ethnic group or gender so we had to do that. It was a multiyear process to get that information and once we were able to obtain the data files we were able to distill it down into our own analysis. So the reason why that’s important is so we can provide it back to the community for those who want to pursue grants, projects or programs focusing on Native Hawaiian men’s health."
      Michael Broderick, former family court judge and current President and Chief Executive Officer of YMCA of Honolulu said, "I think there are a lot of people in Hawaiʻi who are in denial about the numbers, and about the data, and about the disproportionate impact that the justice system has on Native Hawaiians. This report verifies what a number of people thought for many years, but now we know for sure, for example, that Native Hawaiians are disproportionately represented in prison.

The study analyzes state Department of Health statistics about
the health of Hawaiian Men. Graph from OHA

"I think from a judge perspective… Judges, I think, often have unconscious biases. And it’s unconscious so that means they’re not aware of it, which I think contributes to the disproportionate number of Hawaiians in prison and I think a report like this will get the attention of the criminal justice system so they can then be introspective about changes they might make personally and systematically to address the issue."

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Weave a Small Decorative Fish, Fri, June 23, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Participants use nui (coconut fronds). Free.

Stained Glass II: Panel Lamp, Sat – Sun, June 24 – July 8, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Claudia McCall teaches students how to create their own stained glass table lamp. $150/$135 VAC members; $15 supply fee. 967-8222

Nature & Culture: An Unseverable Relationship (He Pilina Wehena ‘Ole), Sat, June 24, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m., Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Palm Trail hikers visit a place where catastrophic change & subsequent restoration can be observed. Free. nps.gov/havo

www.kaucalendar.com

http://kaucalendar.com/TheDirectory_2017

Ka`u News Briefs Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Hawai`i has the highest homeless rate in the U.S. per capita, with a highest percentage among
Hawaiians, Pacific islanders and people escaping the mainland to live in paradise. See story below.

THE HAWAI`I CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION has joined members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate in a lawsuit against President Trump to enforce the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The suit deals with gifts or benefits that the President, or other Administration officials, might receive from foreign governments and businesses. The lawsuit would give Congress the authority to vote on, and approve, any foreign emoluments on a case-by-case basis.
     “The American people deserve a president who is a servant leader who they can trust to represent the people’s interests, rather than his or her own. Those who voted for President Trump took him at his word - that having accumulated enough of his own personal wealth, he would be solely focused on serving the American people," said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
    “It is paramount that President Trump divest himself from his properties, especially those abroad, so Americans can trust that this Administration’s foreign policy decisions are not being influenced by the President’s investments. We need to be assured, for example, that U.S.-Saudi policy is not being influenced by a Trump resort or other investments in that country, rather it is crafted to serve the best interests of the American people. If President Trump does the right thing by seeking and receiving appropriate congressional approval, stops accepting financial benefits from foreign government officials, and divests himself from his properties, I will withdraw my support from this lawsuit. The people of this country deserve transparency and confidence that the President is acting on their behalf,” she said.

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Dr. Josh Green brings attention to Hawai`i having the highest homeless
rate per capita in the country.  He calls it a medical condition and wants
doctors to write prescriptions for housing.

HOMELESSNESS: "No other issue is currently as pressing in Hawai`i," said West Ka`u state Senator Josh Green today. He released a statement on the topic:

     Statewide, "We have the highest rate of homelessness per capita in the nation with 505 out of every 100,000 residents without housing: a total of about 8,000 people. Here, we have the highest life expectancy in the country, yet the average life expectancy of our homeless individuals is 51. People afflicted with mental illness and addiction suffer on our streets. Families with children live in tent cities under constant threat of upheaval. Unsafe and unsanitary conditions lead to health complications that put over a billion dollar strain on our already limited Medicaid resources. This is a public health crisis. This is a humanitarian crisis. This is an economic crisis. 

     "Compassionately and effectively tackling the moral, economic, and societal issues that all must be addressed to solve our states homelessness crisis will require innovation, collaboration, and, above all else, determination. As a doctor and as a senator, know that I will continue to seek out new ideas and approaches, and will continue this fight in the legislature,the emergency room, and in our communities."

While most homelessness is in urban O`ahu, remote places are 

where homeless people retreat as streets and parks are cleared.

     For local residents to view, Green provided links to television specials from PBS and BBC and said they are only "two of the most recent examples of the national and international media covering our homeless epidemic. The nation and the world have taken notice of our struggles and our steadfast efforts to combat them. With their eyes upon us, I am confident that not only can we succeed, but we can also set a shining example for other communities struggling with homelessness. We will continue to tirelessly move forward together with innovation, collaboration, compassion, and, of course, with aloha. We will not rest until we have seen tangible, positive change."
     Green advocates to accept homelessness as a medical condition and says providing housing would save taxpayer money at the emergency rooms and hospital wards. He says that doctors should be able to write prescriptions for housing homeless people and that health insurance should cover it.
    While his bills are yet to pass the state legislature, he is working with insurance companies to help save them money, he says.
     View the BBC's Homeless in Hawai`i and the PBS feature Hawai`i's Homeless.

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A TELEPHONE TOWN HALL MEETING ON HURRICANE AND DISASTER PREPAREDENESS, next Monday, June 26 at 4 p.m., will give the public access to talk with Hawai`i Civil Defense manager Talmidge Magno, and statewide  Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency Administrator Vern Miyagi.

Hurricane Madeline and Lester did little damage but led to opening shelters,
 and closing Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, beach parks and other venues in
late August, 2016. Image from NOAA

     Civil Defense managers from the other islands and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who is sponsoring the meeting, will join and as they answer questions from the community, discuss the forecast for the upcoming hurricane season, and review new recommendations that Hawaiʻi residents prepare an “emergency kit” with a minimum of 14 days of food, water and other supplies. Hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30.

     “We are so fortunate to live in Hawaiʻi, but we have some seasonal disasters that are unique to our islands, and it’s important to be prepared. With hurricane season kicking off this month and running through November, I’m hosting a telephone town hall meeting with emergency management leaders in each of our counties to talk about how Hawaiʻi families can prepare and stay safe,” said Gabbard.

      To receive a reminder call to join this event on Monday June 26 at 4 p.m.: Text "TULSI" to 828282, or go to vekeo.com/reptulsigabbard and enter name, phone number and email and receive a confirmation email. Click "Verify" in the confirmation email in order to complete registration.

     To dial in to the call at the time of the event, call 888-476-4187 at 4 p.m. on Monday June 26.

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Coffee farms looked like rice paddies when Iselle flooded
Wood Valley in 2014. Photo by Anne Celeste

CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER predicts a normal to above-normal hurricane season through Nov. 30, predicting five to eight tropical cyclones. This is the first season that Ka`u Regional Gym serves as the area's disaster shelter. The hurricane season outlook includes a possible transition to a weak El Nino and prediction for near-or above-average ocean temperatures in the main hurricane formation region, and near-or weaker-than-average vertical wind shear in that same region. Gerry Bell, PhD., NOAA;s lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at the Climate Prediction Center, said,  "If El Nino develops, it may become strong enough to produce an above-normal season."

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ASTRONOMY ON THE BIG ISLAND makes one discovery after another. One of the latest, through Keck Observatory, was presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society, held in Austin, Texas.
     The presenter was Trent Duput, a graduate of the Institute for Astronomy at University of Hawai`i at Manoa.  “When we look up and see the stars shining at night, we are seeing only part of the story,” said Dupuy. "Not everything that could be a star ‘makes it,’ and figuring out why this process sometimes fails is just as important as understanding when it succeeds.”
     Dupuy, the lead author of the study, and co-author Michael Liu of the University of Hawai`i found that an object must weigh at least 70 times the mass of Jupiter in order to start hydrogen fusion and achieve star-status. If it weighs less, the star does not ignite and becomes a brown dwarf instead.
     How did they reach that conclusion? The two studied 31 faint brown dwarf binaries (pairs of these objects that orbit each other) using W. M. Keck Observatory’s Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics system to collect ultra-sharp images of them, and track their orbital motions using high-precision observations.

This animation shows several of the binaries from this study, each orbiting around its center of mass, which is marked by an x. Colors indicate surface temperatures, from warmest to coolest: gold, red, magenta, or blue. The background image is a map of the entire sky visible from Hawaii and a silhouette of Maunakea, home to Keck Observatory and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope where this study was conducted over the past decade. Each binary is shown roughly where it is located on the night sky. The actual sizes of these orbits on the sky are very small (about one billionth the area covered by an "x"), but the orbit sizes shown in the animation are accurate relative to each other. The animation is also in extreme fast-forward, where every one second in the animation corresponds to approximately two years of real time. Animation by T. Dupuy and K. Teramura, PSISC

This animation shows several of the binaries from this study, each orbiting around its center of mass, which is
marked by an x. Colors indicate surface temperatures, from warmest to coolest: gold, red, magenta, or
blue. The background image is a map of the entire sky visible from Hawaii and a silhouette of Maunakea, home
to Keck Observatory and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope where this study was conducted over the past
decade. Each binary is shown roughly where it is located on the night sky. The actual sizes of these orbits
on the sky are very small (about one billionth the area covered by an "x"), but the orbit sizes shown in the animation
are accurate relative to each other. The animation is also in extreme fast-forward, where every one second in
the animation corresponds to approximately two years of real time. Animation by T. Dupuy and K. Teramura, PSISC

     “We have been working on this since Keck Observatory’s LGS AO first revolutionized ground-based astronomy a decade ago,” said Dupuy.  “Keck is the only observatory that has been doing this consistently for over 10 years. That long-running, high-quality data from the laser system is at the core of this project.”The result of the decade-long observing program is the first large sample of brown dwarf masses.
    “It’s the synergy between Keck Observatory and CFHT that really gets us the full power of the results,” said Dupuy.
     Their goal was to measure the masses of the objects in these binaries, since mass defines the boundary between stars and brown dwarfs.
     The research team also used the Hubble Space Telescope to obtain the extremely sharp images needed to distinguish the light from each object in the pair. However, the price of such zoomed-in, high-resolution images from Hubble and Keck Observatory is that there is no reference frame to identify the center of mass. Wide-field images from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) containing hundreds of stars provided the reference grid needed to measure the center of mass for every binary.
     “As they say, good things come to those who wait. While we’ve had many interesting brown dwarf results over the past 10 years, this large sample of masses is the big payoff. These measurements will be fundamental to understanding both brown dwarfs and stars for a very long time,” said Liu.

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