Dumped munitions: no adverse effects… for now

Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) researcher Margo Edwards lead a three-year investigation of military chemical weapons dumped during and after World War II at a deep-water site five miles south of Pearl Harbor; her team reports that the dumped munitions “do not indicate any adverse impacts on ecological health” right now, but continued monitoring is warranted. Two Hawai‘i Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) submersibles were used to take water and sediment samples that were analyzed for chemical agents and other hazards.

Read more about it in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser (revised link), KITV.com, and in the SOEST press release (PDF). Image courtesy of HUMMA and HURL.

Ocean circulation drivers swapped at end of ice age

Towards the end of the last ice age, about 17,500 to 15,000 years ago, melting glaciers dumped so much cold fresh water into the North Atlantic that current flow was blocked. This resulted in a major reorganization in the currents of the North Pacific with far-reaching implications for climate, according to a new study published in the prestigious journal Science. IPRC authors include researcher Axel Timmermann and post-doctoral fellow Laurie Menviel.

Read more about it at News@UH and Raising Islands, and in the IPRC press release at EurekaAlert; also read the Science article abstract and see an interview at NSF News. Image courtesy of IPRC.

Sea-level rise will be worse for some…

While scientists agree that the Indian Ocean has heated by about 1° F over the past 50 years, partially due to human-generated greenhouse gases, they can disagree in their estimations of how wind patterns will change due to climate change and what effects that will have on sea level. In an article in Journal of Climate, Axel Timmermann and Shayne McGregor (IPRC) and Fei-Fei Jin (MET) investigate the influence of changing wind patterns on past and future sea-level rise.

Read more about it at Wired Science and Softpedia. Image courtesy of NASA.

Sensor at Cetti Bay to help monitor water quality

Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) has completed the installation of a sensor package in Cetti Bay, Guam, that will be able to collect data on various water quality measurements in Guam waters. This sensor array is a first for Guam, and has already begun taking measurements, including temperature, salinity, turbidity, pressure, and chlorophyll concentrations. It will soon stream the data in real-time over the internet, according to the University of Guam.

Read more about it at Pacific News Center and Guampdn.com. Image courtesy of University of Guam; click on it to see the full version.

Hurricane season is June 1st thru November 30th

Visit the NWS Central Pacific Hurricane Center for forecasts and information on how to be prepared. The Hawai‘i Ocean Observing System (HiOOS) has links to NWS and other weather forecast sites. Other disaster news and preparedness information is available from Hawai‘i State Civil Defense and in the Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards (available from UH Sea Grant College Program).

Please visit SOEST in the News: 2010 for archived news articles, with links to previous years.

SOEST Quicklinks

Environmental Conditions

• Hawai‘i Beach Hazard Forecast Site
• Hawai‘i Ocean Observing System
• Meteorology Weather Server
• Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System
• University of Hawai’i Sea Level Center

Academics and Education

• Information portal for new and continuing undergraduate and graduate students, including requirements, scholarships and awards, employment, internships, and more.

Marine Operations

• Ocean Technology Group (OTG)
• University of Hawai‘i Marine Center

Visit SOEST’s Facebook page…

• … for special news and announcements; become a fan now!

Emergency Preparation / Information

• Hurricane / Disaster Checklist (PDF)
• HiOOS Coastal Hazards page
• UH Office of Emergency Management.

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Technical, Web, and Other Support

• Computer and Network Support (RCF)
• SOEST Logos and UH Mānoa seals
• Physical Plant Support Facility Work Order Forms (revised 08-05-09):
  ¤ Work Order Request Procedure (PDF)
  ¤ Fillable Work Order Request Form (PDF)
¤ Work Order Request Form (.xls)
• Support and Facilities
• Video Conferencing System
• SOEST Web Site Policies

Employment

• Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
• Gender Equity and Non-discrimination Policy
• Job Opportunities

The Dean’s Overview of the School

• Dean Brian Taylor’s message from the SOEST brochure, describing the school’s mission. Download a high-res (49MB) or low-res (6MB) PDF of the entire brochure.
• Faculty Meeting Presentations
• 2010 (12MB PDF)
• 2009 (9.4MB PDF)
• 2008 (6.3MB PDF)
• 2007 (5.3MB PDF)