Section k9 

 PALMXEA ISLAKD — XT. S. HA.YAL AIR STATION 



Al^9.01 Location of the Test Station and Test Board 



A te£it "board of the panel type vae operated at the U. S. IlaTal 

 Air Station on Palmyra, Territory of Hawaii^ from December 20, 19'^5 

 until January 19, 19'*'7, when it vas discontinued "because of the con- 

 templated inactivatlon of this Station. Palmyra Island is located in 

 the Central Pacific Islands, south of the Eavallan Islands and North- 

 vest of Fanning and Christmas Islands at (approximate) latitude 6° N 

 and longitude l62° W. Ho Inf ormation is aTallal)le as to the location 

 of the test hoard at this Station, vhlch vas designated "by the symbol 

 DSNPI-l. 



After the middle of 19l|-6, there was considerable confusion with 

 regard to the length of time that some of the panels were submerged 

 heciause of their removal in improper order. 



Ai^9 . 02 By-drographic Data 



The depth of water where this test hoard was installed was 15 ft; 

 the tidal range was given as Jg- ft; the current velocity was not recorded. 

 The temperature of the water at the time of Installation was 80° F. With 

 regard to pollution, it was merely stated that the water was clear, so 

 apparently no appreclahle pollution existed. 



Al^9.05 Marine Borers 



1, TerefUnidae . Teredlnldae were very active at this location 

 throughout the "brief period covered "by the test. They occurred in all 

 the control panels, ranging from minute pits or emhryonlc specimens up 

 to those "55 una in length in one panel which had "been inadvertently 

 left suhmerged for two months. It is clearly evident that the "breeding 

 season at this location I's continuous. Teredlnldae occurred in all 

 the test panels, and 2 were 75^ filled after having "been suhmerged for 

 k months, vlth specimens in one panel up to 2^0 mm in length. No 

 determination was made of the species Involved. The attack at this 

 location rated very heavy in 19^6. 



2. LiTTinoria . LiTrmpria were active and extremely ahundant 

 throughout -the period covered by the test. They occurred in all the 

 control panels and in unusually large nomhers in most of them, there 

 "being some 15,000 tunnels recorded in one panel su1]merged from May 20 



to June 18, 19^6. In the test panels, there was a rapid Increase in the 

 numher of Llmnorla tunnels from the "beginning of the test, with a peak 



254 



