Indonesia needs more volcanologists<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs more volcanologists to help
\nmonitor the 129 active volcanoes that straddle the archipelago,
\nan official of the Ministry of Mines and Energy said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia currently has 104 experts in the field, 14 of whom
\nhold doctorates, 30 with masters degrees and 60 with
\nundergraduate degrees.<\/p>\n
\"In other countries, there are at least eight experts to a
\nvolcano,\" said Wimpy Tjetjep, the Director of Volcanology at the
\nMinistry's Directorate General of Geology and Mineral Resources.
\n\"In our case, we have no choice but to handle several volcanoes
\nat once.\"<\/p>\n
Hundreds of experts in France monitor Mt. Etna, he told
\nreporters during a workshop reviewing the 10 years of cooperation
\nbetween French and Indonesian volcanologists.<\/p>\n
Most of the volcanology cooperation programs are centered
\naround Mt. Merapi, which is one of the world's most active
\nvolcanoes. Merapi's last explosion in 1994 claimed 66 lives.<\/p>\n
The cooperation programs have also led to an increase in the
\nnumber of local scientists and the capability of the existing
\nones, Wimpy said.<\/p>\n
Indonesian and French volcanologists have been experimenting
\nwith new methods of detecting volcanic activity, he said.<\/p>\n
The Director General of Geology and Mineral Resources, Adjat
\nSudradjat, told the workshop that a satellite detection system
\ndeveloped under Franco-Indonesia cooperation was successful in
\nalerting three million residents around Mt. Kelud, Central Java,
\nwhich erupted in 1989. No direct casualties were recorded.<\/p>\n
\"The cooperation with France stresses innovations in
\nmonitoring methods,\" said Wimpy. \"Our scientists only know
\ntheories, but we have not had the equipment to apply them.\"<\/p>\n
In addition to France, Indonesia also has volcano cooperation
\nprograms with Japan, the United States and several other
\ncountries, Wimpy said.<\/p>\n
Among the new techniques being explored are deformation and
\ngeochemical surveys, which monitor the changes in volcano
\nsurfaces caused by volcanic activities, and interferometry, which
\nmeasures ground distortions by satellite.<\/p>\n
Apart from Merapi, the new methods have also been tested on
\nMt. Kelud in East Java, and volcanoes in Halmahera, Maluku and
\nMarapi, West Sumatra.<\/p>\n
The cooperation programs also benefit France in its study of
\nactive volcanoes.<\/p>\n
One of the French speakers, Jean-Christophe Sabroux, said
\nFrench experts only realized that they needed to study active
\nvolcanoes after France's Soufriere volcano erupted in 1976.
\nPreviously they mainly monitored dormant volcanoes, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia could provide our scientists with access to some of
\nthe most dangerous volcanoes in the world,\" said Sabroux. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-needs-more-volcanologists-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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