Fiscal Years 1994-1999
Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory
Over the last six years, Senator Inouye has secured over $14.5 million for the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) at the University of Hawaii. With the completion of the research vessel Kaimikai O' Kanaloa, purchased and refitted with funds secured by Senator Inouye, the HURL program continues to pursue important oceanographic research.
HURL's unique accomplishments include work related to the observation platform for the Loihi seamount, an active hotspot volcano southeast of the Island of Hawaii. Loihi is the only readily accessible submarine volcano in the world. This observation platform developed by HURL will make it possible for scientists from many fields to study the processes that occur during the growth of a submarine volcano, including earthquakes, deformation, faulting, mass wasting, marine volcanism, thermal and chemical plumes, and development of unique biological systems.
HURL is working toward the installation of a permanent observatory on the summit of Loihi to conduct biological and geological study of the growth of submarine volcanoes and islands. Among other things, data from pressure sensors on Loihi will be passed directly to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu to provide real-time deep-water measurements of tsunamis. This data is particularly important in light of developing concerns about potential submarine landslides off the Island of Hawaii which are capable of triggering massive tsunamis. By better understanding the processes that create tsunamis, scientists will be better able to predict them and as a result help to save lives and property.