This report presents findings from the analysis of radiocarbon dates and volcanic stratigraphy in the Leone Volcanics region of Tutuila Island, American Samoa, shedding light on the timing and spatial distribution of late-Holocene volcanic events. Key insights include identifying a distinct reddish ash stratum dating to approximately AD 650-750 as the most recent eruptive event, along with observations on the source and sequence of ash deposits, suggesting multiple eruptive events from both seaward and inland craters, potentially continuing as recently as AD 1300.
Pacific Island Developing Countries (PIDCs) contribute a minuscule 0.03 percent to global carbon dioxide emissions, with residents producing only a quarter of the world's average emissions per person. However, despite their minimal emissions, these nations are expected to face some of the earliest and harshest consequences of climate change, with a particular focus on its impact on freshwater resources. This chapter delves into the potential threats posed by climate change to the already stressed freshwater supplies in PIDCs.
In response to climate change impacts like rising sea levels, efforts are being made in the Pacific Islands region to assess and adapt to the effects on mangroves. This includes improving management practices, reducing stress on mangroves, and integrating climate data into land-use planning to minimize risks to coastal ecosystems and human safety.
Climate change profoundly affects global agriculture, posing food security threats via extreme weather, temperature shifts, and rainfall variations. In the Pacific Islands, additional challenges like sea-level rise and ecosystem degradation exacerbate these issues. The American Samoa Extension Climate Forum, conducted on June 20-21, 2018, sought to address these concerns by engaging stakeholders in discussions about sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, and food security.
This is 2003 Agricultural census data for American Samoa.
This paper delves into the agriculture and livestock use in American Samoa.
Following the 2009 Samoa-Tonga earthquake, the Samoan islands, including Savai'i, Upolu, and Tutuila, have experienced accelerated sea-level rise, driven by subsidence and gravity changes, with American Samoa witnessing a 5 times faster rate than the global average. A viscoelastic model predicts a continued sea-level rise of 30-40 cm, intensifying coastal flooding.
This chapter explores the complex interactions within the climate system, emphasizing the significance of understanding climate's physical and social impacts at various scales. It underscores the importance of assessing vulnerability to climate conditions, focusing on sensitivity, exposure, and resilience, especially in Pacific Island communities facing climate-related challenges.
This chapter discusses advances in climate change impact, adaptation, and vulnerability assessment methods, emphasizing the growing use of risk management frameworks, stakeholder involvement, and diverse scenario approaches. These developments aim to provide policy-relevant information for effective decision-making in the face of climate change, recognizing the importance of considering non-climate factors and regional-scale scenarios.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed regression equations for estimating flood-peak discharges, essential for designing infrastructure and managing flood plains. This Fact Sheet focuses on the application of the updated National Flood-Frequency (NFF) Program to rural areas on the island of Tutuila, American Samoa, while noting that new equations have been developed for various regions across the United States.
This report, part of the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA), discusses climate change indicators and their impacts on key sectors in American Samoa. PIRCA, a collaborative effort involving various stakeholders, aims to inform and prioritize actions in response to climate change in the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands and the Hawaiian archipelago.
The U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) are meteorologically characterized by tropical latitudes, consistently warm temperatures, high humidity, and frequent extreme weather events influenced by factors like the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and tropical cyclones. Climate change effects, including rising sea levels and temperature, are impacting these islands, potentially leading to more severe droughts and intense precipitation events, particularly affecting freshwater resources and local ecosystems.
This project focuses on assessing American Samoa's vulnerability to natural hazards and the impacts of climate change. It engaged with the community through an online survey, interviews, and a preparedness workshop in Pago Pago. The goal is to help residents and professionals in American Samoa prepare for future hazard events and climate change impacts, providing information, stories, and guidance on disaster and climate change preparedness
The absence of historical sea-level data for the Pacific over the past 1,000 years hinders our understanding of late Neogene sea-level changes. Data from tectonically stable sites in various Pacific locations suggest that sea level was close to its present level around 1,000 years ago, rose to approximately 0.9 meters above present levels around 700 years ago during the Little Climatic Optimum, then fell during the Little Ice Age before gradually rising again over the past 200 years. Tags: Pacific, sea-level change, historical data, Little Climatic Optimum, Little Ice Age.
Climate services, which provide actionable information about climate impacts, are crucial for Pacific Islands' policy, planning, and decision-making. NOAA, in collaboration with regional partners, has undertaken projects to enhance climate services through capacity building, engagement with users, and tailored information delivery, resulting in better-informed decisions and increased regional coordination.
Developed by scientists from the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center's Ecosystem Sciences Division, the Environmental Data Summary (EDS) tool utilizes survey data funded by the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP), Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), and USAID. This advanced tool, written in R, offers a consistent way to enhance in situ survey data with external environmental data, providing access to NOAA CoastWatch and OceanWatch datasets via the ERDDAP server protocol.
This dataset analyzes climate exposure, ecological resilience, and social vulnerability to climate change threats in U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands' coral reefs. Derived from NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program surveys, it focuses on ocean temperature increases and coral bleaching impacts, presenting findings in a publication series for Hawaiian Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Oregon State University's PRISM Group conducted a project to create updated climate maps for various Pacific island regions, including the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, CNMI, Palau, American Samoa, and the Federated States of Micronesia. These maps, produced at high resolution, encompassed temperature and precipitation data for the period of 1971-2000, aiding in climate analysis and resource management for these areas.
This data table includes in-situ near-shore seawater measurements of excess radon (Rn-222) and water levels collected in Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa.
The Coral Reef Temperature Anomaly Database (CoRTAD) Version 2, developed for coral reef ecosystem applications, offers global weekly sea surface temperature (SST) data from 1982 to 2008 at approximately 4 km resolution. It includes additional years compared to Version 1, and unlike Version 1's HDF4 format, Version 2 is in HDF5 format. The database provides SST metrics, thermal stress anomalies, and parameters like SSTA Degree Heating Week, designed for climate and ecosystem studies to explore the correlation between coral disease, bleaching, and temperature stress.