University Microfilms, a XEROX Company. Ann Arbor, Michigan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ENGINEERING ANALYSIS OF SUBAERIAL AND SUBMARINE GEOMORPHOLOGY ALONG THE NORTH COAST OF MOLOKAI ISLAND, HAWAII Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic); maps Authors Mathewson, Christopher C. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 05/10/2021 09:30:41 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/287713 71-21* ,879 MATHEWSON, Christopher Colville, 1941- ENGINEERING ANALYSIS OF SUBAERIAL AND SUBMARINE GEOMORPHOLOGY ALONG THE NORTH COAST OF MOLOKAI ISLAND, HAWAII. The University of Arizona, Ph.D., 1971 Engineering, general University Microfilms, A XEROX Company. Ann Arbor, Michigan (3) COPYRIGHTED BY CHRISTOPHER COLVILLE MATHEWSON 1971 ill THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS OF SUBAERIAL AND SUBMARINE GEOMORPHOLOGY ALONG THE NORTH COAST OF MOLOKAI ISLAND, HAWAII by Christopher Colville Mathewson A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF MINING AND GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY WITH A MAJOR IN GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 7 1 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE I hereby recommend that this dissertation prepared under my direction by Christopher Colville Mathewson entitled ENGINEERING ANALYSIS OF SUBAERIAL AND SUBMARINE GEOMOR- PHOLOGY ALONG THE NORTH COAST OF MOLOKAI ISLAND. HAWAII be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy After inspection of the final copy of the dissertation, the following members of the Final Examination Committee concur in its approval and recommend its acceptance:* ^ m/ t c/ia tdL. /?7f Ajiri I 1 3>, 7/ This approval and acceptance is contingent on the candidate's adequate performance and defense of this dissertation at the final oral examination. The inclusion of this sheet bound into the library copy of the dissertation is evidence of satisfactory performance at the final examination. STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to bor rowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or re production of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: To My Wife JANET iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express his appreciation for the guidance given him by Dr. Alexander Malahoff and Dr. James Andrews, Hawaii In stitute of Geophysics, and by Dr. Willard C. Lacy, Dr. John Sumner, Dr. John Abel, and Professor Richard L. Sloane, University of Arizona. The cooperation and support provided by the officers and men of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Ship McARTHUR, the Research Vessel MAHI, and the Research Vessel TERITU, and the shipboard assistance given by numerous graduate students in oceanography at the University of Hawaii is also appreciated. This study was supported in part by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (formerly the Environmental Science Services Administration) and the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics. Publication of this dissertation was made possible through a grant from the Harrison Schmitt Memorial Fund, College of Mines, University of Arizona. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS viii LIST OF TABLES xiv ABSTRACT xv CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 HAWAIIAN ARCHIPELAGO 3 2.1 Geology 4 2.2 Geophysics 9 2.3 Oceanography 11 2.4 Meteorology 14 3 MOLOKAI ISLAND 17 3.1 Geology 17 3.2 Geophysics 24 3.3 Oceanography 33 3.4 Ground Water and Meteorology 34 3.5 Dynamics of Molokai 36 4 INVESTIGATION 40 4.1 Bathymetric Survey 40 4.2 Seismic Reflection Survey 47 4.3 Bathymetric Survey of the Waho Shelf ....... 54 5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 58 5.1 Bathymetric Survey 59 5.2 Seismic Reflection Profiles 70 5.3 Wave Refraction Analysis . 86 vi vil TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER Page 6 ANALYSIS OF THE GEOMORPHOLOGY 100 6.1 North Slope of Molokai 100 6.2 Origin of the Great Windward Sea Cliff .... 103 7 CONCLUSIONS 116 REFERENCES 119 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. The great windward sea cliff along the north coast of Molokai Island, Hawaii 1 2. Map of the Hawaiian Islands 3 3. Geomorphic provinces around the southeastern end of the Hawaiian Archipelago 4 4. Map of the Oahu-Molokai Seamount Group 6 5. Seismic refraction determined crustal section across the Hawaiian Archipelago ... 9 6. Crustal model across the Hawaiian Archipelago based on the mass distribution determined from gravity surveys 10 7. Percentage of ship's observations of winds reported blowing from the northeast, east or southeast 15 8. Southeast-northwest cross section along the Hawaiian Archipelago showing the relationship of the island topography to the trade wind layer 15 9. Location map of Molokai Island, Hawaii 18 10. Geomorphic province map of Molokai Island, Hawaii ... 18 11. Waiohookalo stream valley, one of the numerous U-shaped stream valleys that cut into East Molokai Done to form Canyon Country 21 12. Topographic map of Canyon Country, East Molokai Dome, Molokai Island, Hawaii 22 13. Geologic map of Molokai Island, Hawaii 23 14. Bouguer gravity anomaly map of Molokai Island, Hawaii 29 15. Magnetic anomaly map of Molokai Island, Hawaii .... 29 viii ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Continued Figure Page 16. Primary rift zone map of the Molokai area 30 17. Volcanic pipe zones and rift zones on Molokai Island as determined from aeromagnetic surveys .... 31 18. Mean monthly ocean wave directions for Kilauea Point, Kauai Island, Hawaii 35 19. Map of Molokai showing distribution of average an nual rainfall and ground-water areas 35 20. Stream flow data for Pelekunu Stream, East Molokai, Molokai Island, Hawaii 36 21. U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Ship McARTHUR ..... 41 22. Layout of the boat sheets used by the USC&GSS McARTHUR for the bathymetric survey of the North Molokai insular shelf 41 23. Schematic diagram of a three-point sextant fix .... 42 24. Sound velocity correction curve used by the USC&GSS McARTHUR 45 25. Schematic diagram of a bar check to determine the transducer draft, initial, instrument, and sound velocity corrections for soundings made from survey launches . 46 26. Bathymetric survey line density over the North . Molokai insular shelf by the USC&GSS McARTHUR ..... 46 27. Research Vessel MAHI 48 28. Trackline chart for cruises MOLCAN I and MOLCAN II, RA MAHI 48 29. Samples of the three records collected simultan eously during MOLCAN I and II, and their inter relation on the composite drawing of the sedimentary layers 50 X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Continued Figure Page 30. Block diagram of the basic electronic units in the R/V„MAHI's seismic reflection system as as sembled for MOLCAN I and II 51 31. Schematic diagram of a sparker signal 54 32. Research Vessel TERITU 55 33. Trackline chart, cruise SUBSHELF I, R/V TERITU .... 56 34. Schematic diagram showing the relationship be tween the echo-sounder initial pulse mark and the surface and the bottom reflections . 57 35. Bathymetric map of the North Molokai insular shelf 60 36. North-south bathymetric profiles across the North Molokai insular shelf showing the ancient shore lines that appear on the shelf 61 37. North-south profiles across the Island of Molokai showing the relationship between the Island topography and the shelf bathymetry . 62 38. Detailed bathymetric map of the apparent North Molokai volcanic pipe zone source area 64 39. Seismic reflection profiles down the North Molokai insular slope showing the ancient Waho shelf 65 40. Bathymetric map of the Waho shelf, south of Molokai Island, Hawaii 66 41. Seismic reflection profiles across the ancient Waho shelf south of Molokai 66 42. Bathymetric map showing the bowl-shaped submarine canyon heads off East Molokai Dome 68 43. East-west profiles across Pelekunu subaerial- submarine canyon system showing the apparent continuation of the canyon system 69 44. Island of Molokai, State of Hawaii in pocket xi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Continued Figure Page 45. Long profile of Pelekunu subaerial-submarine canyon system showing the three sections along the profile and the ancient stands of sea level .... 71 46. Aerial photograph of one of the numerous water falls and small stream valleys along the north coast of Molokai 72 47. Location map of the seismic reflection profiles discussed in the following section 74 48. Seismic reflection profile across a buried chan nel on the western end of the shelf north of West Molokai Dome 74 49. Seismic reflection profile run 2% nautical miles north of Hoolehua Plain 75 50. Seismic reflection profile across the east flank of Kalaupapa Peninsula 77 51. Composite of seismic reflection profiles off canyon country on East Molokai Dome 78 52. Seismic reflection profile across the only buried feature found on the shelf off East Molokai Dome ... 79 53. Seismic reflection profile run 4 nautical miles offshore across Waiehu submarine canyon showing the apparent continuation of the acoustic base ment under the canyon axis 81 54. Seismic reflection profile showing two buried sub marine canyons on the upper edge of the insular shelf 81 55. Composite of seismic reflection profiles across Pelekunu submarine canyon 83 56. Composite of seismic reflection profiles across Waiehu submarine canyon 85 57. Wave ray refraction diagram of locally generated trade wind waves arriving from the north 88 xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Continued Figure Page 58.