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Wave run-up in Waikīkī, Oʻahu, during the King Tides in May. |
Record High Sea Levels in Hawaiʻi
A combination of the highest astronomical tides of the year ("King Tides"), global sea level rise, delayed sea level effects from the 2014-2016 El Niño, Pacific-wide climate and sea level variability, and localized eddies have caused record-breaking sea level heights in Hawaiʻi. Flooding and wave inundation have occurred in many parts of the state at the end of April and May, in particular when large swell events coincide. The University of Hawaiʻi Sea Level Center's seasonal outlook suggests that high water levels are likely to persist through the summer. PacIOOS offers 6-Day forecasts to predict higher than usual sea levels and potential wave run-up to increase preparedness and coastal resiliency. The King Tides provide a glimpse at what is expected to become the "new normal" over the next decades due to global sea level rise. The Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program needs your help to document high water levels and associated impacts! Participate in the Hawaiʻi and Pacific Islands King Tides Project and submit your photos online. For more information visit http://hawaiisealevel.org.
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Example plot for American Samoa, incorporating SWAN model output. |
Enhanced Wave Observation and Forecast Plot
PacIOOS recently implemented dynamic data plots that combine PacIOOS' wave buoy observations with wave forecast data. To enhance the wave forecast component, the forecasted wave spectra was upgraded to feature PacIOOS' Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) model for most locations (see example for American Samoa). The 500-m spatial resolution of PacIOOS' regional SWAN model is much higher than the 50-km resolution of the global WaveWatch III model, and it can capture nearshore wave transformations, including refraction, shoaling, and breaking over complex bathymetry around the Pacific Islands. The 5-day forecast refreshes daily and is validated with the real-time buoy measurements. All forecast locations are co-located with the respective wave buoy positions. Long-term records have shown that the SWAN model is predicting wave conditions with a very high accuracy.
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A tiger shark with the latest generation of satellite tags. Credit: Mark Royer. |
PacIOOS now features new tracks from six tiger sharks that were recently equipped with the latest generation of satellite tags. The Shark Research Group from the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) expects to gain valuable insights about shark behavior and habitat selection while testing innovative technologies. In addition to the shark's location, the new generation of satellite tags also record important oceanographic data, such as ocean temperature profiles. Data transmission through the satellite array was augmented by the installation of land-based receivers on Maui and Oʻahu to increase data throughput. PacIOOS provides ongoing support for the Shark Research Group and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is currently supporting efforts as part of the Ocean Technology Transition (OTT) Project.
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NOAAʻs Coral Bleaching Hot Spots in PacIOOS Voyager. |
Ocean Temperature Spikes in American Samoa
PacIOOS Voyager now offers a higher resolution suite of NOAA's Coral Reef Watch coral bleaching monitoring products. These global, near real-time, satellite-derived data sets are now available daily at 5-km resolution and include daily average nighttime sea surface temperature (SST), SST anomaly, coral bleaching hot spots, and degree heating weeks. The layers were added in response to a request from resource managers in American Samoa. An unusually warm body of water was recorded last year by the PacIOOS wave buoy off Aunu'u, and new temperature spikes have raised questions about the source of heat. To keep track of these thermal anomalies, PacIOOS set up an email notification system to inform resource managers when sea surface temperature measured by the PacIOOS wave buoy increases more than 1.5°F within a day. If you are interested to receive notification emails, please contact us.
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Apply today for the Marshall Islands Coastal Management Agent position!
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Marshall Islands Coastal Management Agent
The University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program is hiring a new Coastal Management Agent for the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Based on Majuro Atoll, RMI, responsibilities of the Coastal Management agent include working with natural resource management agencies to help with the review and assessment of coastal land use projects, land use planning, and coastal and marine hazards mitigation. The successful candidate will also collaborate with government, public, and private sectors to identify best coastal and marine land use practices, conduct site visits, develop technical reports, and teach one course at the College of the Marshall Islands. For more information please view the full job announcement, job ID #17203. Applications are due before June 7, 2017.
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UoG students learn how to service and maintain oceanographic equipment. |
Studying Circulation Patterns at Pago Bay, Guam
Researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) Department of Oceanography, in partnership with researchers at the University of Guam (UoG) and PacIOOS, characterized the general physical oceanographic circulation patterns of Pago Bay, Guam, as part of the UoG Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) grant. The UH/UoG team completed the first of four planned deployments between August 2016 and July 2017. A network of 46 sensors was deployed on the reef flat, reef crest, fore reef, and in the channel of Pago Bay.
An important part of the grant is to build capacity and transfer knowledge. The UH team trained five students from the University of Guam to program, deploy, and recover the instruments safely. The newly trained students are taking part in the upcoming deployments to apply their skills.
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Big Mahalo to our PacIOOS Students
Daren Martin became involved with the PacIOOS Nearshore Sensor Group in Fall 2013 as a C-MORE Scholar trainee and continued to work with the group as a student assistant until his graduation in the spring of 2017. Daren assisted with the maintenance of oceanographic instrument packages, and the maintenance and analysis of near real-time data streams. He also assembled oceanographic instrument packages with data transmission hardware, and routinely recovered, serviced, and redeployed these packages. With his background in engineering, experience as a waterman, curiosity, and amazing organizational skills, Daren greatly contributed to the lab by applying his problem-solving skills, both in the field and in the lab. Daren graduated this Spring with a undergraduate degree in engineering. We wish him all the best in his next endeavor!
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For the past year, Catherine Morgan assisted PacIOOS in its outreach, education, and communication efforts. She was instrumental in developing, preparing, and conducting educational activities at community outreach events, assisted with the monthly PacIOOS newsletters, and thoroughly reviewed hundreds of pages and links before PacIOOS launched its new website. Catherine's positive, outgoing personality and passion for science made it a pleasure working with her in the office and at events. Catherine will now focus her time and energy on finishing her undergraduate degree in Geology and Geophysics at the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST). We will miss you - Mahalo and all the best, Catherine!
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