Ka‘ū News Briefs, Saturday, February 1, 2020

Hawaiian petrels hatch from eggs in burrows high on Mauna Loa. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park will monitor them
by helicopter from elevations of 5,500 feet to 9,000 feet this Tuesday, Feb. 4 and Wednesday, Feb. 5. See more below.
Photo by Andre Raine from American Bird Conservancy

HELP IN EXPANDING HEART AND CANCER TREATMENT CENTERS is sought by Hilo Medical Center which serves Kaʻū Hospital. When the 2020 Hawaiʻi State Legislative session opened on Wednesday, Jan. 15, representatives of the health care facilities made the rounds at the Capitol to thank legislators for their support and inform them of funding needs to expand the cancer center and cardiology services. This session, the Kaʻū and Hilo hospital staff is following Senate Bill 2535, introduced by Sen. Kai Kahele, and is asking for community support through testimony to the Legislature. The measure would appropriates funds to improve health care services related to cardiac care at Hilo Medical Center.
     Last year, more than 400 cardiac catheterizations were performed by the Hilo team of cardiologists. See the YouTube video making the case for a second cath lab. See Senate Bill 2535 with its link to give testimony.

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FEBRUARY IS HEART MONTH. Kaʻū Hospital and Hilo Medical Center support the campaign to encourage people to become as familiar with their blood pressure as they are with their height and weight.
     Community First and Japanese Chamber of Commerce recently featured interventional cardiologist, Dr. Jamison Wyatt, and Director of the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Program and Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, Marisa Salmoiraghi. They shared health implications of high blood pressure, and explained cardiology services provided at Hilo Medical Center through its facilities and through Kaʻū Hospital.

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CHECKING UP ON PETRELS, the endangered Hawaiian ʻuaʻa - seabirds that fish in the ocean and nest in the lower alpine and subalpine slopes of Mauna Loa at elevations as high as 9,000 feet, is one of the missions of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in February.
     This Tuesday, Feb. 4, and Wednesday, Feb. 5, a crew will monitor petrels by helicopter at elevations of 5,500 feet to 9,000 feet between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. The crew will look for burrows where petrels nest after years out at sea. Scientists estimate they can fly and forage more than 6,000 miles in two weeks before returning to their nests.
     Other Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park flight plans for February 2020:
     Monday, Feb. 3, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., to fly transects above the Kahuku Unit in Ka‘ū between 1,800-ft. and 5,000-ft. elevation to monitor Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death and take aerial imagery of cultural landscape structures.
     Tuesday, Feb. 4; Wednesday, Feb. 5; and Wednesday, Feb. 19, between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., for fence equipment and material transport to the Kahuku – Ka‘ū Forest Reserve boundary between 5,000- and 5,500-ft. elevation.

Hawaiian petrel, the ʻuaʻa. Photo by Jim Denny from American Bird Conservancy

     Tuesday, Feb. 18 and Thursday, Feb. 20, between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., to haul camp gear to and from the university Volcano Research Station and ‘Ōla‘a-Koa Unit for ungulate monitoring and control between 3,500- and 4,000-ft. elevation.
     Tuesday, Feb. 18, between 8 a.m. and noon, to survey and control invasive Guinea grass along Keauhou trail, from the coast to 2,000-ft. elevation.
     In addition, the 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. A statement from the Park says its management 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.

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THE FINAL INSTALLMENT OF VOLCANO AWARENESS MONTH'S VOLCANO WATCH stories covers the jobs of seismologists. It is written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory seismologist Brian Shiro:

People and Jobs at HVO, Part Four: The Shaky Work of HVO Seismologists

     When I was seven years old, I won my county's earthquake safety poster contest. I remember going to a special award luncheon with the mayor, who complimented my work and gave me an "Earthquake in a Can" toy. Little did I know how much that event would influence my life.

     Flash forward to almost 35 years later. I am now part of the seismic team at USGS HVO. As a professional seismologist, I monitor and study earthquakes to understand volcanoes and help keep people safe. It's a profoundly rewarding job.

Geophysicist Brian Shiro, manager of the USGS HVO seismic network, was 

part of HVO's team that installed several new stations on Kīlauea Volcano's 

lower East Rift Zone to monitor earthquakes during the 2018 eruption. 

The station they installed here, ERZ1, was eventually overrun by 

lava, but it provided important data while it lasted. USGS photo

     HVO seismologists take turns being on-call each week. The on-duty seismologist tracks earthquake activity each day and must be ready to respond to hazardous earthquakes or to significant changes in seismic activity at our volcanoes.

     A typical response might involve an alarm that goes off in the middle of the night for a Hawaiʻi earthquake that is magnitude-4 or greater. As part of the local community, I am just as affected by seismic hazards as any resident, so I quickly roll out of bed, communicate with colleagues, and get to work analyzing the earthquake.

     Although computers automatically detect earthquakes, a human must review the data to ensure accurate characterization of the event. With many data streams to check, the duty seismologist spends up to an hour reviewing data before updating the earthquake solution online. This is why the magnitude and location for an earthquake can sometimes change from the initial posting. See our past Volcano Watch article about this for more info, volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=458.

A seismometer records earthquake activity. USGS photo

     It's important to get earthquake information accurate as quickly as we can, especially if an event poses a shaking or volcanic hazard. During Kīlauea's 2018 eruption, I was glued to my chair analyzing earthquakes in near-real time as magma moved eastward towards Leilani Estates and later erupted from multiple fissures. The reviewed earthquake locations helped us pinpoint where eruptions were more likely – and less likely – to occur.

     The day-to-day office work between volcanic crises varies depending on each seismologist's particular responsibilities and the current volcanic or seismic activity. Some of us primarily analyze and publish earthquake information, while others are mainly involved with interpretation and research.

     HVO seismic analysts spend most of their time sifting through the earthquakes that occur each day, manually evaluating them, and publishing them to the USGS online earthquake catalog, earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/search/. It takes a keen eye to "pick" the arrival times of the P- and S-waves recorded at each seismic station and re-calculate the hypocentral parameters (location, depth, and magnitude) for each earthquake.

     Over HVO's decades-long history, the way seismologists have gone about this task has evolved a lot. My pre-computer forebearers measured seismic wave arrival times and amplitudes on paper seismograph records and figured out the location of earthquakes on a map using a ruler and string. Although the physics has not changed, our tools certainly have. We've traded paper and rulers for computer monitors and mice.

Earthquakes can cause small to major damage. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National
Park is still recovering from the quakes during the 2018 eruption.
USGS photo

     The art of "timing" earthquakes in this fashion develops over years of experience. It forms from a combination of knowing how seismic waves travel through the Earth, acquiring requisite computer skills, and practicing to consistently identify signals properly. I first learned how to do this 20 years ago in graduate school but am always learning new things as science progresses.

     In my role as HVO's seismic network manager, I also monitor the state of health of the seismic stations operating in the field. If a station goes down, I try to figure out why and address the problem. As a manager, I also spend a lot of time on administrative tasks like planning, writing reports, purchasing equipment, and coordinating with outside partners.

     Being part of a multidisciplinary team monitoring dynamic volcanoes is both challenging and exciting for me. As the field of volcano seismology continues to develop, we continually learn new things to advance our understanding and improve public safety.

     Just as our tools have changed with time, our methods continue to evolve. In the future, artificial intelligence algorithms will likely help us characterize earthquakes, but there will always be a seismologist to develop and implement these tools.

     Perhaps a seven-year-old child today will be that future seismologist.

Every dot represents earthquake activity. Each one is reviewed by a
seismologist. USGS image

     This article is the fourth in a series of articles about HVO's people and jobs during Volcano Awareness Month 2020. Next week, HVO geologists write about their work.

     Volcano Activity Updates

     Kīlauea Volcano is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at NORMAL. Kīlauea monitoring data showed no significant changes in seismicity and ground deformation. Sulfur dioxide emission rates remain low. The water lake at the bottom of Halema‘uma‘u continues to slowly expand and deepen.

     Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level remains at ADVISORY. This alert level does not mean that an eruption is imminent or that progression to an eruption is certain.

     This past week, 107 small-magnitude earthquakes were recorded beneath the upper elevations of Mauna Loa; the strongest was a M2.3 on Jan. 23. Deformation indicates continued slow summit inflation. Fumarole temperature and gas concentrations on the Southwest Rift Zone remain stable.

     Four earthquakes with three or more felt reports occurred in the Hawaiian Islands this past week: a magnitude-3.3 quake 15 km (9 mi) southeast of Volcano at 5 km (3 mi) depth on Jan. 30 at 1:51 a.m.; a magnitude-3.8 quake 16 km (10 mi) southwest of Leilani Estates at 6 km (4 mi) depth on Jan. 29 at 12:23 p.m.; a magnitude-2.8 quake 14 km (9 mi) southeast of Hōnaunau-Nāpō‘opo‘o at 5 km (3 mi) depth on Jan. 25 at 10:22 a.m.; and a magnitude-2.8 quake 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Pāhala at 34 km (21 mi) depth on Jan. 24 at 4:52 a.m.

     HVO continues to closely monitor both Kīlauea and Mauna Loa for any signs of increased activity. Visit volcanoes.usgs.gov/hvo for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake info, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.

See Kaʻū events, meetings, entertainment. See Kaʻū exercise,
meditation, daily, bi-weekly, and weekly recurring events. 

Print edition of The Kaʻū Calendar is free to 6,250 mailboxes 

throughout Kaʻū, from Miloliʻi through Volcano, and free on 

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com

and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

See daily, weekly, and monthly recurring Kaʻū and Volcano Events, Meetings, Entertainment, Exercise, Meditation, and more at kaucalendar.com.

Kaʻū Winter Sports Schedule

Girls Basketball

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Boys Basketball

Tue. and Wed., Feb. 4 and 5 BIIF @ Kealakehe

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 HHSAA on Oʻahu

Soccer

Wed. thru Sat., Feb. 5-8 Girls HHSAA on Oʻahu

Sat., Feb. 1 and 8 Boys BIIF

Thu. thru Sat., Feb. 13-15 Boys HHSAA on Oʻahu

Wrestling

Sat., Feb. 8 BIIF @Konawaena

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 21 and 22 HHSAA

Swimming

Fri. and Sat., Feb. 14 and 15 on Maui

UPCOMING

SUNDAY, FEB. 2

Super Bowl Party, Sunday, Feb. 2, Lava Lounge at Kīlauea Military Camp. Doors open at 11a.m. with kick-off at 1:30 p.m., 'til pau. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, KMC is open to all authorized patrons and sponsored guests. Park entrance fees apply. For more information call 967-8365 after 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

Spotlight on Artist Diana Miller, Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. This program will highlight the works of local artist and part-time park ranger, Diana Miller. From her early days as an art major, to her career with the U.S. Air Force painting nose-art on aircraft, to her works celebrating native Hawai‘i, learn what inspires this local artist. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes' ongoing After Dark in the Park series. Free; Park entrance fees apply. 985-6101, nps.gov/havo

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5
OKK Farmers Market in Nāʻālehu, Wednesdays beginning Feb. 5, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., mauka on Hwy 11 at the old Nāʻālehu Fruit Stand and future home of the Nāʻālehu Senior Housing Site. Contact Sue Barnett for vending, 808-345-9374.

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

Hula Voices, Thursday, Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. Presents an engaging, intimate talk story session with Hawai‘i Island kumu hula and features Volcano musician Joe Camacho.  volcanoartcenter.org

FRIDAY, FEB. 7
Hana Laulima Lāhui O Kaʻū - Community Mtg. and Membership Drive, Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m. at the Nāʻālehu Community Center. Topics include revival of annual Prince Kūhio Day Hoʻolauleʻa, to be held Saturday, March 28 at Nāʻālehu Park, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature music and hula, food, arts and crafts, and Hawaiian cultural activities. Anyone wanting to be a vendor, host a booth, and become a member should also come to the meeting. The annual membership dues are $10 per person or organization. Contact Terry-Lee Shibuya at terrylshibuya@gmail.com or treasurer Kehau Ke at hunneygurl15@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

16th Annual Love the Arts Volcano Arts Center Fundraiser Gala, Saturday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Theme is The Roaring 2020s, highlighted by unique decorations, decadent food, fine wines and beer, and dancing. Features appearances by members of Harmony on Tap and opera singer D'Andrea Pelletier. Live and silent auctions: bid on artwork, jewelry, hotel stays, restaurants, local products, services, and gift certificates to businesses and attractions. Tickets $70, $65 VAC Members. Purchase at VAC's Niʻaulani Campus in the village or Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, online at volcanoartcenter.org/classes-and-workshops/purchase-tickets-to-vac-events, or (808) 967-8222. Gala tickets provide free admission to LTA Valentine's Day Dance on Saturday, Feb. 15. volcanoartcenter.org

ONGOING

Apply for Mosaics of Science by Monday, Feb. 3. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's 12-week paid summer internship position is designed to engage university students and recent graduates with on-the-ground work experience in the National Park Service. A $4,800 stipend, and all travel costs are covered, including a week-long career workshop in Washington, D.C. to meet with NPS managers.

     The internship is open to U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents ages 18-30, and to military veterans up to age 35. Funding is provided under a cooperative agreement for youth conservation activities as part of the Public Lands Corps program, which mandates that these age ranges are followed. 

     The selected intern will assist with the development of education curriculum for Kīpukapuaulu and Pu‘u Loa trails in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
     For more information, contact Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Education Specialist Jody Anastasio by email at jody_anastasio@nps.gov. To apply go to go.nps.gov/mosaics or mosaicsinscience.org.

Beginning Improv for Adults, Thursday, through Feb. 13, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.  "Learn to live more in the moment, think on your feet, let go of self-judgment, bring more joy in your life, and recapture your playful spirit in the 6-week workshop series with improv legend Keli Semelsberger." Attendance to all 6 classes is not required – classes may be attended individually. No prior experience is necessary. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Sharp Turns – The Creative Art of Woodturning, Volcano Art Center Gallery exhibit, featuring the works of Aaron Hammer and Mark and Karen Stebbins, continues daily, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., through Feb. 16. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

Aloha Kidney in Kaʻū, Thursday afternoons, 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., through Feb 20, Kaʻū Resource Center, 96-3126 Puahala St. in Pāhala. The free class series on Chronic Kidney Disease lead by retired kidney doctor Ramona Wong. Bring a pen and whomever cares/cooks/shops for the person(s) with CKD. See alohakidney.com. Call (808) 585-8404 to enroll.

Register for a Free CERT Basic Training Course, four Saturdays starting Feb. 22 through March 14 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Ocean View Community Center. Community Emergency Response Team encourages community participation and provides support to emergency response organizations when the need arises. Four consecutive classes are a 27-hour FEMA certification course. Sign up by emailing hawaiicert@gmail.com. Bill Hanson, 808-937-2181, hawaiicounty.gov/departments/civil-defense/hawai-i-county-cert.

Register for ʻO Kaʻū Kākou's 12th Annual Keiki Fishing Tournament and Canned Food Drive through Wednesday, Feb. 19 at noon. Event takes place Saturday, Feb. 22, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Poles, gear, and bait, and lunch for all, provided. Each child receives a prize, chosen during registration, in the order they register; register early. Keiki one to 14 years old register online at okaukakou.org, or pick up form at Nāʻālehu Elementary School, Nāʻālehu Ace Hardware, PāhalaElementary School, Mizuno Superette in Pāhala, Wiki Wiki Mart in Nāʻālehu, Kahuku Country Market in Ocean View, and Ocean View Auto Parts. Bring one can per person for food drive. For more information, contact Guy Enriques at 808-217-2253 or Wayne Kawachi at 808-937-4773. okaukakou.org

Clay – High Fire!, Sunday, through Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. or 2:45-5:45 p.m. Eight-week morning or afternoon pottery series with Erik Wold. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

PETFIX Spay and Neuter Free Clinic for Cats and Dogs, Thursday and Friday, March 5 and 6, Ocean View Ranchos. Registration: contact Bridget at (808)990-3548 or petfixbigisland@gmail.com.

Hawaiʻi International Music Festival, Sunday March 8, 6:30 p.m., Pāhala Plantation House. The concert will feature music that will celebrate native plants of the Kaʻū Dryland Forest and will raise funds for Hoʻomalu Kaʻū.

     Performers will include: Maya Hoover, Hawaiʻi based Mezzo-Soprano at Professor at Universityof Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Jonathan Korth, Hawaiʻi based Pianist and Professor at UH-Mānoa; and Joshua Nakazawa, Cellist from Hawaiʻi Symphony. They will be joined by the three HIMF co-founders: Amy Shoremount-Obra, Internationally Acclaimed Metropolitan Opera Soprano; Eric Silberger, Internationally Acclaimed Prize-Winning Virutuoso Violinist; and Carlin Ma, Multi-Media Artist and Pianist.

     Tickets are $30 and are available at kauconcert.bpt.me. See himusicfestival.com for more.

Cultural Understanding Through Art & the Environment, features classes on block printing, lauhala weaving, ti leaf lei making, and more. A free guided Cultural Forest Tour, and a Mele and Hula ‘Auana performance are also slated. Visit the website events calendar for the full lineup. volcanoartcenter.org

T-Ball and Coach Pitch Baseball League: Ocean View Team - Mondays and Wednesdays, Kahuku Park. Nā‘ālehu Team - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Nā‘ālehu Park. Pāhala Team (seeking coaches) - attend Nā‘ālehu practice. T-Ball, 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., ages 5-6. Coach Pitch, 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., ages 7-8. Programs take place through April 16. Wear cleats or tennis shoes, bring a glove if possible. Extras gloves available for use. All skills and genders welcome. $35 per teammate. See Ka‘ū Youth Baseball on Facebook. Josh or Elizabeth Crook, 345-0511

Tūtū & Me Home Visiting Program is a free service to Pāhala families with keiki, birth to five years old. This caregiver support program offers those taking care of young keiki "a compassionate listening ear, helpful parenting tips and strategies, fun and exciting activities, and wonderful educational resources" from Tūtū & Me Traveling Preschool. Home visits are one hour in length, two to four times per month, for 12 to 15 visits. Snacks are provided. See pidfoundation.org or call 808-938-1088.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter. See our online calendars and our latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.