Hawaii Scientific Advisory Committee (H-SAC) proposal guidelines

The Hawaii Scientific Advisory Committee (H-SAC) exists to facilitate fundamental and curiosity-driven research during Hawaiian eruptions. It is the formal link between the academic scientific community (organized through CONVERSE: https://volcanoresponse.org/) and the USGS. H-SAC members facilitate academic science activities related eruptions that are time-sensitive and require coordination between the USGS and the academic community. Coordination may be needed either for access to eruption localities within closed zones on the volcano (if/when possible) and/or access to USGS personnel, resources, and samples, with the goal of maximizing the scientific returns while also working in harmony with the USGS mandate for eruption response. H-SAC makes recommendations to the Scientist In Charge (SIC) at HVO, but the final decision as to whether to allocate resources, preliminary data, and/or samples is made by the SIC. No funding is available through CONVERSE or the USGS as part of the H-SAC process. H-SAC will compile and share a listing of all known science initiatives related to the eruption openly with the broader community involved in the eruption response. During this process, suggestions will be made to minimize overlap in scientific activities between groups, identify synergies, potential collaborations, and maximize success and scientific return.

Proposals should be submitted via email to the H-SAC Chair Kathy Cashman (cashman@uoregon.edu). Proposals should be short (no more than 1 page in length) and will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

1. Potential to identify critical gaps in data collection or scientific response that will advance volcanology.
2. Time-sensitivity of data/sample collection: does this project require data, samples, or analyses that must be completed on a time scale of weeks to months?
3. Direct contribution of the results to mitigating volcanic and related hazards to life and property, augmenting HVO work related to the current activity.
4. The likelihood of success (is the project feasible with the resources in hand? Is it likely to enhance hazard mitigation and/or volcano science?)
5. Familiarity of the PIs with logistics of and constraints on working in Hawaii.
6. Ability to be performed without interfering with ongoing emergency response.
7. Safety of personnel in performing the work.

Proposals should explicitly include the following information in order to facilitate HVO review:

1.  Amount and nature of Volcano Observatory Staff time, if any, requested for proposal.
2.  Number of field days proposed including date ranges and number of non-HVO personnel.
3.  Number of instruments and locations of instrument sites proposed. What are the requirements to install and maintain these instruments (site access, data telemetry, etc.)?
4.  Amount and types of data and or samples requested from HVO.
5.  Summary of plans to obtain NPS or County of Hawai‘i permits if needed.

Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by the committee, and PIs will be notified as quickly as possible of the outcome. Please consult information on the current eruptive activity and scientific response prior to submitting a proposal. For information on the current volcanic activity, real-time data, and USGS monitoring operations, visit the HVO website (hvo.wr.usgs.gov), follow USGS Volcanoes on social media, and subscribe to the USGS Volcano Notification Service (VNS, https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/).