Pacific Voyagers
Photo courtesy of Okeanos Foundation
Okeanos Foundation for the Sea
Empowering Pacific Island people to implement traditionally based sustainable sea transportation to ensure independence, cultural revival and ocean stewardship. The Okeanos vaka use only green sources of energy – wind, sun and coconut biofuel – and operate in 12 Pacific countries. The okeanos vaka will be our mobile volcano observatory for work in Melanesia.
Photo by Bay of Plenty Times
Jack Thatcher - Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti
Based in Tauranga, Aotearoa, Jack is the kaitiaki (guardian) of the Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti. He is one of the last master navigators in the world, and teaches young seafarers traditional skills of celestial navigation. He has crossed the Pacific many times in his 25 years of waka seafaring. Jack will support our work in the Bay of Plenty at White Island - Whakaari.
Technical Wizards
The Boxfish Robotics ROV in action
Boxfish Robotics
Based in Auckland (NZ), Boxfish Robotics are pushing the new frontier of submarine exploration. Boxfish Robotics have perfected submarine photography and videography, and we will be working with them to optimize the ROV for the analysis and collection of volcanic gases from submarine volcanoes in Melanesia.
The LabVulc team working hard with a UV camera in PNG
LabVulc
The LabVulc team, a collaboration between INGV and the Università degli Studi di Palermo are world-leaders in volcanic gas analysis. They will provide equipment and expertise for the analysis of volcanic gases on land and under the sea.
Civil Defence Authorities
Ambae caldera safety map from VMGD, May 27, 2019
Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department (VMGD)
VMGD’s vision is: To be a world class meteorological and geohazards institution that contributes to the sustainable development of Vanuatu, and the Pacific region. Vanuatu is regularly hit by eruptions, earthquakes, cyclones, and more. We will work directly with VMGD in the Vanuatu portion of our project, with the hope that we can help improve their monitoring efforts, and that they can help us navigate this dynamic region.
Rabaul caldera viewed from RVO. Photo by Cindy Werner.
Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO)
RVO was established after the 1937 eruption at Rabaul, and is responsible for monitoring the activity of the 14 active and 23 dormant volcanoes that are spread along three volcanic arcs throughout Papua New Guinea. We will work with scientists at RVO to help build their monitoring capacity, and to learn from their experience on the remote and active volcanoes of PNG.