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PACIFIC SCIENCE, VoL XIX, July' 1965 
vicinity of the proposed drilling site. Nearly 
all the local earthquakes occur along the Ha- 
waiian Ridge and mostly on the island of Ha- 
waii. The magnitude of these earthquakes sel- 
dom exceeds IV, and the nearest recorded 
epicenter to the proposed drilling site lies 120 
miles to the south of it. 
Auxiliary location control 
Both air and sea location systems (Omni, 
LORAN C, tracking radars) exist In the Ha- 
waiian Islands, which will be of great value in 
establishing the site location and in maintain- 
ing navigational control between the drilling 
site and shore base once operations are started. 
Stability of the water column 
Inasmuch as bottom pingers will probably be 
used to hold positions, variability in mean 
acoustic velocity presumably could pose a prob- 
lem. However, maximum annual variation in 
mean acoustic velocity between the surface and 
bottom is only about 0.85 ft/sec (approxi- 
mately 1 part in 5000). Differences in position 
control due to seasonal changes in water column 
structure and temperature, therefore, should not 
exceed 1 m. 
Distance from supply base 
The recommended site is about 125 miles 
from Kahului airport on the island of Maui, 
which is a practical range for helicopter support. 
Base support 
Land support facilities on Maui include 
docks, an airport, warehouse and housing facili- 
ties, and four daily commercial flights to and 
from Honolulu, and once-a-week freight barge 
service. 
Labor supply 
There is a plentiful local supply of semi- 
skilled and skilled labor in Hawaii. Wages are 
the same as those prevailing on the mainland 
West Coast. 
Cost of living 
Living costs are somewhat higher than on 
the mainland because most staple food stocks 
and fuel have to be imported. Rents are also 
higher because of higher building material costs. , | 
However, these cost increases are offset in part 
by the fact that neither home heating nor air 
conditioning is required. The net increase in 
living costs over those on the mainland is with- 
in 5%, which is no greater than the difference 
noted between mainland cities, and less than 
between some cities. 
Scientific cooperation 
The Institute of Geophysics at the University 
of Hawaii at Honolulu has staff, equipment, a 
research vessel, shops, and an IBM 7040 and 
1410 computer that can contribute to the suc- 
cess of the operation. The university also has 
an engineering school and departments in all 
the basic sciences, and., graduate programs and 
staff in meteorology, geophysics, geochemistry, 
geology, astrophysics, oceanography, hydrology, jj 
and geodesy. The staff and facilities of the U.S. 
Geological Survey at the Hawaiian Volcano | 
Observatory, as well as the U.S. Coast and Geo- 
detic Survey Geophyslc Observatory staff can 
also be called upon for cooperative assistance. 
Other facilities 
There are many facilities that can contribute 
directly or indirectly to the program. The U.S. 
Navy, for example, maintains a major shipyard 
and repair facility at Pearl Harbor. Honolulu is 
the primary mid- Pacific operations base for the 
U.S. Coast Guard. Emergency helicopter sup- 
port is available from both the Coast Guard and 
the U.S. Marines. Honolulu is served by several 
steamship lines, and three scheduled airlines 
maintain service to the mainland with over 12 
flights in each direction every day. Honolulu is 
a major manufacturers’ distribution center, with 
parts and service facilities covering a broad 
spectrum of industrial equipment. There are 
commercial shipyards and shops, and one of 
the world’s major heavy construction firms has 
its main office in Honolulu, as does the com- 
pany that calibrates and maintains most of the 
Navy’s electronic equipment. 
Official support of local government 
The state of Hawaii has a science-conscious 
Governor and Legislature, who can be counted 
