FMIPA UI Geography Research Team participates in Jalacitra Expedition 3 – Flores

Jakarta, March 14, 2023

The Geography Deep Sea Research Team of FMIPA UI, led by Dr.Eng. Masita Dwi Mandini Manessa, had the opportunity to participate in the Jalacitra 3 Expedition in the Flores Sea. This activity was organized by the Naval Hydro-Oceanography Center (Pushidrosal) and involved 6 research teams in Stage-3 (3rd wave). The research team came from the University of Indonesia, BRIN Deep Sea Research Center, Padjadjaran University, Trunojoyo University, Bandung Institute of Technology. The purpose of this expedition was to explore the Flores Sea to collect data, namely underwater features such as volcanoes and shallow points, bathymetric mapping, nutrients, seawater conditions per depth, currents and waves, upwelling, internal waves, sediments, microplastics and organism content.

CTD reduction for seawater data and samples per depth layer

Jalacitra Expedition 3 used KRI SPICA 934 commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Deirus Rizki Khair, S.T., and the survey department led by Major Danar Judas Pratama, with 43 crew members from the Indonesian Navy and 6 representatives of the onboard research team. The Geography Research Team sent one undergraduate student as a representative in Stage-3 (3rd wave) of the expedition.

Researchers took water samples from the Rosette Water Sampler from a depth of 1300m.

Rubber Boat Team Launches to Mount Batutara

Stage-3 departed from Baubau on April 25, 2023 to the Flores Sea to collect data with survey equipment that was dropped at predetermined locations. The equipment used included CTD to collect data and seawater samples per depth, ADCP to measure currents, AWS for wind direction and weather, Multibeam Echosounder (MBES) for bathymetric mapping, magnetometer to measure magnetic anomalies from underwater features (detecting volcanoes), plankton net to collect water samples with organisms, and grab sampler to collect sediment from the bottom of the waters. The Stage-3 expedition took place from April 25 to May 7, 2023, with the route Baubau - Flores Sea - Mount Batutara - Pantar Island and ended the journey in Kupang. The output of this expedition was bathymetric mapping for shipping safety, updating the Indonesian sea map, detecting spatial and temporal patterns of upwelling, identifying internal wave phenomena in the Indonesian Throughflow (Arlindo) area, and seawater content.