The expeditions will be conducted by the BMKG and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) for research and data collection.
Karnawati said the expeditions will explore all megathrust zones in Indonesia: Sunda Subduction, Banda Subduction, Sulawesi Subduction, Philippine Sea Plate Subduction, Maluku Sea Plate Subduction, and North Papua Subduction.
"We've begun preparing everything, including research, training, and development centers, to create earthquake and tsunami models," she said.
BMKG Head of Public Meteorology, Andri Ramdhani, said that the expeditions will begin in Batam, Riau Islands, and travel through several cities before reaching Bitung, North Sulawesi, on August 25.
The research will involve a series of long voyages using OceanX's OceanXplorer ship.
OceanX is a global non-profit organization in the field of marine exploration that collaborates with the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment to research Indonesian seas.
The expeditions will not only investigate earthquake phenomena but also observe the interaction of air and sea in Indonesian waters.
The target is areas that are identified as locations for phenomena influenced by Indonesia's weather and climate variability, such as the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD).
BMKG considers this research exploration crucial because natural and sometimes periodic changes in air and ocean circulation, volcanic eruptions, and other factors influence climate variability.
Furthermore, only 19 percent of Indonesia's vast seas (over 70 percent of the country's area) have been mapped, highlighting the need for exploration, as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated in a recent coordination meeting.
"Preparations with OceanX are complete. The BMKG is also bringing equipment to measure relevant parameters and continues coordination, especially with the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment as the leading sector," said Ramdhani.
Related news: South Nias earthquake centered in Batu megathrust zone: BMKG
Related news: Sunda Strait megathrust segment may trigger 8.7-M quake: BRIN
Translator: M. Riezko Bima Elko Prasetyo, Katriana
Editor: Anton Santoso
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