Java Python GEOS2111/GEOS2911: HAZA RDS, CLI MATE CHANGE AND DISASTERS
NATURAL HAZARD MANAGEMENT: CASE STUDY FROM THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII
GEO S 2 1 11, WEEK 6 - 8, 10
INTRODUCTION
The Big Island of Hawaii is the largest island that makes up the Hawaiian Island Chain (Fig. 1). The Hawaiian Islands are a series of age-progressive volcanic islands (younging to the southeast) that were formed by the movement of the Pacific plate over a slowly moving mantle plume, a finger-like upwelling of hot, buoyant material coming from the core-mantle boundary. The Hawaiian Islands, and in particular, the Big Island of Hawaii, are therefore highly suspectable to the hazards posed by volcanoes.
The Big Island of Hawaii, the southeasternmost island of the Hawaiian Island chain, hosts the only actively erupting volcanoes along the chain. The three active volcanoes on the island are Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Kilauea. Collectively, they cover the majority of the island and pose a significant threat to its environment, infrastructure and inhabitants. To view the summit of the Kilauea volcano to assess the current level of activity, click here:https://www.youtube.com/usgs/live
Fig. 1: The islands that make up the Hawaiian Island chain showing how they formed as the Pacific plate drifted over the Hawaii hotspot (mantle plume). The hotspot is currently located under the Big Island of Hawaii. Source: TASA Graphic Arts, Inc.
The volcanic related hazards that affect the island include lava flows, ash falls, explosive eruptions and volcanic induced earthquakes. However, these aren’t the only hazards. Others exist such as tsunamis, bushfires/wildfires, floods and extreme storms that may be associated with the remnants of tropical cyclones.
While the Big Island of Hawaii is far removed from Sydney, Australia, it provides a simple and contained area to assess hazards and their impact on different stakeholder groups as well as a comprehensive set of digital files that can be used for analysis. This will allow you to gain insights into the mapping and communication of hazards that can be taken forward to assess hazard risk in more complex areas and societies.
AIMS, LEARNING OUTCOMES AND MATERIAL
The purpose of this practical is for you to design a series of hazard zone maps for the Big Island of Hawaii based on the hazards posed by the following hazards: lava flows, earthquakes, tsunamis, and wildfires/bushfires. Further, you will assess land use and demographic data to produce a vulnerability map of the Big Island of Hawaii and then combine that with the hazard maps to produce a hazard risk map. Lastly, you will use these maps to communicate hazard and hazard risk to various stakeholders/interest groups.
You will work on your hazard zone maps individually during Weeks 6-8 and will then work in a group in Week 10 to design a presentation targeted towards a particular stakeholder group based on one of the hazards you have explored.
As part of this practical, you will:
• Examine different aspects of natural hazards that are known to impact the Big Island of Hawaii and their historical records.
• Investigate how these data can be used to generate hazard risk maps.
• Assuming the role of a hazard specialist, use both oral and written methods to communicate hazard risks to various stakeholder groups.
All the material you need for this practical is located on Canvas under Week 6. This practical will extend over 4 sessions (week 6-8, 10).
This practical is modified from: Greene, A.R., Garcia, M.O., Becker, N., and Poland, M. Natural Hazards on the Island of Hawaii. https://serc.carleton.edu/hawaiian_volcanoes/74390.html
HAZARD SPECIALIST GROUPS FOR GROUP PRESENTATIONS
At the beginning of Week 6, you will be assigned to one of three hazardstakeholder groups:
• Scientific community (hazard science specialists)
• Government agency (Office of Planning and Sustainable Development)
• Business group (tourism operators)
Each group will need to prepare a presentation on one of the hazards and communicate the hazard risk posed by this hazard. The way to communicate this information will differ depending on the different groups so keep th