Banda Sea Research Articles

ANALYSIS Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) AND Maimum Sustainable Yield (MSY) MALE MACKEREL (Rastrelliger kanagurta) FLYING IN THE SAMUDERA FISHING LAND (PPS) KENDARI

The Banda Sea is an Indonesian water body that holds potential for small pelagic fisheries resources. Situated between Sulawesi Island and Maluku, it is part of the Fisheries Management Area Of The Republic Of Indonesia (WPP-NRI 714), Male mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) is one of the fish species with high economic value, greatly favored by the community for consumption. This has led to an increase in its capture rates. Therefore, the research aims to determine the CPUE and MSY of Indian mackerel in the Kendari Ocean Fisheries Port. Data collection was conducted at the Kendari Ocean Fisheries Port from logbooks, and the research lasted from November to December 2023. The results showed that the standard fishing gear used to catch these fish is purse seine. The status of the utilization of the fishery resources is said to be experiencing underfishing. Based on the research results, the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is 96,386 kg/year, with an optimal fishing effort of 2,300 trips/year (Fox model).

Biology reproduction and population dynamics of Caesio cuning (Family: Caesionidae) in Kendari Waters, Banda Sea, Indonesia

Abstract The Redbelly yellowtail fusilier with the local name Ekor Kuning (Caesio cuning) is a reef fish species found in the waters of the Indo-West Pacific. In Indonesia, it is an economically important fish and is dominantly caught by gill nets, traps and handlines. The intensity of fishing that is carried out continuously is feared to threaten the stock of the species in nature. In order to make its use sustainable, this study attempts to evaluate population dynamics and reproductive biology. The study was carried out in the Kendari waters of the Banda Sea, Indonesia, between April and December 2018. The findings indicated that this fish’s length distribution covered a range of 11,6-29,0 cm FL and the growth pattern was isometric with the length-weight relationship equation W=0,0206L3,0612. The spawning season peaked in November, and the sex ratio did not deviate considerably from 1:1. The length at first maturity (Lm = 21,73 cm FL) was longer than the length at first capture (Lc =15,5 cm FL) The VBGE for yellowtail was Lt = 30,45 [1 – e−0,89(t+0,171)]. The value of mortality due to capture (F = 2,19 per year) is greater than natural mortality (M = 0,44 per year). The exploitation rate (E) was recorded as 0,72 per year and the SPR value is 0,22 per year. Based on these parameters, it indicates that the level of exploitation of Caesio cuning in Kendari waters is in overfished so that management needs to be implemented by limiting the smallest fish size that can be caught and to reduce fishing operations during the spawning season.

The Seasonal Variations of the Thermocline in the Banda Sea and its Water Mass Characteristics

This research was conducted to examine the seasonal variations in the Banda Sea's thermocline layer and its water mass characteristics. The research was conducted by analyzing Argo Float data. The data consists of six observation stations in West Season and Transitional Season II, and four stations in Transition Season I and East Season The thermocline layer thickness was identified based on the depth where the temperature decreased ≥ 0.05oC/m. The thermocline layer's distribution of depth and thickness and the distribution of temperature and salinity seasonally in the thermocline layer were analyzed with Microsoft Excel 2010. The analysis results showed that East Season and Transition Season II have a shallower upper boundary depth of the thermocline layer, a deeper lower boundary of the thermocline layer, and the thermocline layer is thicker when compared to the West Season and Transition Season I. The average temperature distribution is higher and the average salinity is lower in the West Season and Transition Season I. The mean rate of change in salinity and temperature in the thermocline layer seasonally ranged from 0.002-0.004 PSU/m and 0.06-0.08oC/m. The thermocline layer's stratification is stronger in the West Season and Transition Season I.

Seasonal and Fortnight Variations in Internal Solitary Waves in the Indonesian Seas From the SWOT Measurements

AbstractUsing the wide‐swath sea surface height (SSH) data from the 1‐day repeat calibration/validation phase of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, we explored fine‐scale evolution of nonlinear internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the Banda/Molucca Seas in the Indonesian Archipelagos. Generated in the Ombai Strait and Lifamatola Passage through semidiurnal tide‐topography interaction, respectively, ISWs in the Banda/Molucca Seas have a SSH amplitude of 10–20 cm and exhibit multiple wave packets with the leading wave crest followed by a series of rank‐ordered secondary wave crests. Due to nonlinearity, the ISWs are observed to propagate northward at a speed faster than the regional mode‐1 internal gravity waves and their amplitudes are modulated fortnightly following the regional spring‐neap tidal cycle. On longer timescale, the observed ISW amplitudes are controlled by seasonal upper ocean stratification changes with a weaker stratification favoring a larger amplitude. By converting the SWOT‐measured SSH data to the interior ocean pressure signals, we quantified the depth‐integrated energy flux associated with the northward‐propagating ISWs to be 5 and 2 kW m−1 in the central Banda and Molucca Seas, respectively. Comparisons with past studies indicate that the ISWs contribute to close to 100% and 40% of the tidally‐induced, northward energy fluxes, respectively, across the Banda and Molucca Seas.

Numerical Modelling of the Potential Hazard Due to Future Flores Back Arc Thrust Earthquake Generated Tsunami

Abstract Indonesia is situated at the conjunction of four major plates: Eurasia, India-Australia, the Pacific, and the Philippine Sea. Therefore, Indonesia is exposed to a considerable threat from natural hazards every day. Tectonic-related marine geohazards, particularly earthquakes-generated tsunamis periodically affect Indonesia, causing great loss of life and extensive damage to property and infrastructure in coastal areas. Many studies on tsunami modeling have been addressed in western Indonesia. In eastern Indonesia tsunamis, however, are even more frequent in occurrence and may be more hazardous, there is a lack of study and less attention. The Flores Back Arc Thrust (FBAT) is an active fault that lies on the sea floor of the Flores Sea in the north of Flores Island, extending from north of Bali to the east that may be connected to the Wetar thrust at the north of Wetar Island in the western Banda Sea. The FBAT is a source of seismicity in this area. From 1900 to 2022, there were 79 earthquakes with a magnitude of more than 6.0 Mw, and 11 of them generated tsunamis, and the most devastating one was the 1992 Flores earthquake tsunami. This study presents an estimated FBAT-induced future earthquake-generated tsunami runup based on numerical modeling.

New observations of fluorescent organisms in the Banda Sea and in the Red Sea.

Fluorescence is a widespread phenomenon found in animals, bacteria, fungi, and plants. In marine environments fluorescence has been proposed to play a role in physiological and behavioral responses. Many fluorescent proteins and other molecules have been described in jellyfish, corals, and fish. Here we describe fluorescence in marine species, which we observed and photographed during night dives in the Banda Sea, Indonesia, and in the Red Sea, Egypt. Among various phyla we found fluorescence in sponges, molluscs, tunicates, and fish. Our study extends the knowledge on how many different organisms fluoresce in marine environments. We describe the occurrence of fluorescence in 27 species, in which fluorescence has not been described yet in peer-reviewed literature. It especially extends the knowledge beyond Scleractinia, the so far best described taxon regarding diversity in fluorescent proteins.

Sea surface temperature budget in Indonesian seas: the role of vertical turbulent flux and its east–west variations

Abstract The vertical turbulent flux, which comprises heat flux and vertical mixing, is one of key processes governing seawater temperature changes in the vertical direction. In this study, the influence of vertical turbulent flux on sea surface temperature (represented by a layer between the free-surface and approximately 20 m depth) in Indonesian seas was diagnosed from an eddy-permitting ocean modeling experiment result. The heat flux, as the sum of the net heat flux at the surface and penetrative shortwave radiation at the base of the surface layer, induced a net cooling tendency in both eastern and western Indonesia (represented by the Java Sea and Banda Sea, respectively). The cooling tendency due to the heat flux was opposed by the warming tendency induced by vertical mixing at the base of the surface layer, preventing excessive heat loss in the surface layer. An exception occurred during the Boreal Autumn in the Banda Sea, when the heat flux and vertical mixing resulted in warming and cooling tendencies, respectively. It was further found that the effect of vertical mixing on the surface layer heat budget was sensitive to the selection of the base layer depth, highlighting the mixing-related dynamic variation within the water column. In summary, this study provides additional insights into the near-surface dynamics that govern sea surface temperature seasonality in Indonesian Seas.

Variability of Indonesian Throughflow Transport in the Indonesian Seas during Triple-Dip La Niña

Abstract The Indonesian seas serve as an important conduit for the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF), a critical system of warm water and freshwater transport connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans. El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) significantly impacts the regional variability in the Pacific and exerts a profound influence on water mass transport from the Pacific to the Indian Oceans. This study focuses on the influence of triple-dip La Niña events during two distinct periods (1998 – 2001 and 2020 – 2023) on the variability of ITF transport in key areas of the Indonesian seas, including the Makassar, Lombok, and Ombai Straits, Flores and Banda Seas, and Timor Passage. Using forecast and reanalysis data from the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), transport calculations are conducted across cross-sectional profiles representing the study areas. The results reveal that the volume transport is significantly higher at depths ranging from ∼50 – 300 m. It also shows seasonal fluctuations in volume transport across all regions, with lower transport during winter (DJF) and higher transport during summer (JJA) and transition period (SON) in the Makassar and Lombok Straits. In the Flores and Banda Seas, Ombai Strait, and Timor Passage, the surface volume transport follows seasonal patterns, while at deeper depths (∼50 – 300 m and 300 – 800 m) exhibits distinct fluctuations compared to the surface. Triple-dip La Niña events lead to an overall increase in volume transport during both periods, with the 2019 – 2023 period showing larger values (∼19 Sv) compared to the 1997 – 2001 period (∼14 Sv). The strengthened ocean current during triple-dip La Niña events results in more significant variations in total transport, leading to larger differences between minimum and maximum transport during these periods. The volume transport in Makassar Strait is further analyzed using the Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) that identifies three dominant modes (86.4%), revealing the influence of semi-annual, interannual, and decadal factors on the observed variability.

Vertical Characteristic of Water Mass in The Flores Sea: The Effect of The ITF on The Transitional Season

Abstract Indonesian Through Flow (ITF) forms unique water mass characteristics in Indonesian Marine Waters. This water mass enters through the Makassar Strait into the Banda Sea by crossing the Flores Sea. This study aims to analyse the characteristics of water masses in the Flores Sea during the transition season. In situ data was obtained using conductivity temperature depth (CTD) at four stations in the Flores Sea from April to May 2023. Next, the data was processed and analysed for layer thickness through vertical stratification and water mass characteristics using T-S diagrams. The analysis results show that the thickness of the homogeneous layer in the Flores Sea in the first transition season is between a depth of 0-40 m, the thermocline layer is at a depth of 40-300 m, and the depth layer is from a depth of 400-900 m. Apart from that, the characteristics of the water mass identified through the T-S diagram are: North Pacific Subtropical Water (NPSW) is found at a depth of 100-150 m with a temperature between 20-26° C and a salinity between 34.9-35.4 psu. Another water mass is South Pacific Intermediate Water (SPIW) at a depth of 500-800 m with a temperature of 6-8° C and a salinity of 34.55-34.65 psu. In contrast, the Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) was found at a depth of >750 m with a temperature of 5-6° C and a salinity of 34.5-34.6 psu.

Ocean Circulation and Variability in the Seram and Northern Banda Seas

Abstract The Seram and Banda Seas (SBS) convey the eastern pathway of Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) from Maluku and Halmahera inflow portals. This study aims to investigate circulation and variability at near-surface and thermocline layers in the SBS region using validated INDESO model output datasets (2008-2015). It is shown that much warmer and saltier thermocline ITF water (24,36°C and 34,65 psu) from Halmahera is predominant, flowing southward and impinging on the northern coast of Seram near 128.5°E. The flows then bifurcate eastward into the Banda outer ring arc and westward into Banda via the Manipa Strait and western Seram Seas. In Banda, two clockwise eddies are found related to these inflows. Secondary southward inflow via Lifamatola is associated with cooler and less salty water (23,3°C and 34,45 psu), which merges with ITF Halmahera. The variability of oceanographic parameters is dominated by the annual period. However, on an interannual scale, the response of seawater temperature to ENSO is evident, and its amplitude, as shown by the principal component time series EOF, is much stronger in Banda than in Seram at -2.7. A decreasing trend of seawater temperature was also found in 2015.

Observations of Barrier Layer Seasonal Variation in the Banda Sea

AbstractThe Banda Sea is of crucial importance for the circulation of the world's oceans, as it is part of the connection between the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. One peculiarity of the upper ocean hydrography in the Banda Sea is the occurrence of barrier layers. The regionality and temporal variability of barrier layer thickness (BLT) in the Banda Sea are examined in this study utilizing in‐situ observations and ocean reanalysis output. It is found that a barrier layer occurs in over 90 % of the observational data profiles, and in over 72 % of those profiles, the BLT is shallower than 10 m. Furthermore, we find a seasonal cycle in BLT with a maximum thickness of about 60 m occurring during austral autumn and winter and coinciding with the presence of low saline waters fed by the regional river discharge and rainfall from the Java Sea and Makassar Strait. In addition, we identify the existence of a quasi‐permanent anticyclonic circulation cell in the Banda Sea that may support the trapping of surface freshwater by retention. The anticyclonic circulation is most likely wind‐driven because it coincides with the regional Ekman pumping pattern. Modulation of the anticyclone is via seasonal variability in the wind stress curl which in turn may explain the efficiency of freshwater retention and thus the BLT. The annual mean BLT distribution in the Banda Sea shows a preferential region of thickened barrier layers around 6o‐8oS and 124o‐126oE and resampling the pattern of the monthly mean climatology.

Analysis of internal wave in the Buru Island coastal waters, Banda Sea, Indonesia

The Indonesian throughflow (ITF) in the eastern part of Indonesia passes through the Maluku, Taliabu, Sula, and Buru Islands to the Banda Sea. The average depth of the Buru and Sula Islands is between 1000 m and 5000 m, with a narrow gap (sill) located to the north and south at a depth of 165 m on the sea map. This topography makes for interesting research on the western waters of Buru Island. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain salinity, temperature, and density values as water column stratification associated with the internal wave (IW), thermocline area, and current patterns at specific depths in the waters of Buru Island, Banda Sea. Data were collected from initial observations of Sentinel 1 satellite imagery of Buru Island to obtain an image of the waves in the water area. Furthermore, a single beam echosounder (SBES), conductivity temperature depth (CTD), and Copernicus Marine were analysed at the same position and time. The research found a non-linear IW Mode 2 at depths of 440–540 m with an estimated amplitude length is 40 km and an amplitude height of 100 m. Based on SBES echogram imaging, CTD data analysis, and modelling, there was an increase in IW density, a 35.25 PSU increase in salinity value at depths of 50∼200 m, a temperature decrease of 27.5 °C to 10 °C at depths of 50∼300 m, and a density stratification of 23.5 kg/m³ to 27 kg/m³ at depths of 50∼300 m.

Spatial Distribution of Nutrient in The Waters of Haruku Strait, Central Maluku Regency, Maluku Province

Strait waters are influenced by tides, water masses and surrounding land. This study aims to analyze the spatial distribution of nutrients in the waters of the Haruku Strait, Central Maluku Regency, Maluku Province. The research method used is the survey method by taking water samples. Water samples were taken from 17 observation stations spread across the Haruku Strait at depths of 1 meter, 25 meters and 50 meters using the Niskin Bottle Water Sampler. Nitrate concentration analysis using the OPTIZEN Alfa equipment (Spectrophotometer UV-Vis) and the Brucine Sulfate method (SNI: 06-2480-1991) and phosphate concentration analysis using the Ammonium Molybdate method (APHA 10th ed. 5400-PD, 1998). The time of observation took place on July 23, 2022. The results showed that the average concentration of nitrate at a depth of 1 m was 1.146 ± 0.647 mg/L, a depth of 25 m was 1.148 ± 0.709 mg/L and a depth of 50 m was 1.136 ± 0.701 mg/L while the average concentration of phosphate at a depth of 1m was 0.051 ± 0.028 mg/L, a depth of 25 m was 0.053 ± 0.029 mg/L and at a depth of 50 m was 0.049 ± 0.020 mg/L. The waters of the Banda Sea, the Seram Strait and contributions from the rivers on the coast of Ambon Island play a role in the distribution of nutrients in the waters of the Haruku Strait.

Genetic Diversity of Flying Fish (Exocoetidae) in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia

Flying fish (Exocoetidae) is a pelagic fishery commodity that holds economic value among the people of eastern Indonesia. Flying fish are advantageous as they are abundant in Indonesian sea waters, making them an affordable source of omega-3, which is beneficial for human health. However, the high demand for flying fish has resulted in overfishing, which poses a risk of reducing their natural population. Proper management of this commodity is necessary to minimize these risks. Effective management requires adequate information, including genetic diversity data. This study aims to determine the genetic diversity of flying fish in Southeast Sulawesi, specifically in the Banda Sea and Bone Bay populations. Tissue samples were collected from flying fish in the two populations during the study in March 2022. The results show that the genetic diversity values of flying fish in Bone Bay and the Banda Sea were 0.984 and 1.00, respectively, while the nucleotide diversity values were 0.021 and 0.018. High genetic diversity values and nucleotide diversity values were found between the two populations, with values of 0.990 and 0.020, respectively. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the two populations in Southeast Sulawesi are genetically similar.

Heterogeneous multi-stage accretionary orogenesis — Evidence from the Gunnison block in the Yavapai Province, southwest USA

Proterozoic rocks exposed in the southwestern U.S.A. represent one of the best examples of crustal growth by arc-related magmatism and accretionary orogenesis. Within the Southwest the 1.8–1.7 Ga Yavapai Province is widely regarded as a classic example of juvenile arc crust, however 1.8–2.5 Ga inherited zircon and Nd and Hf model ages have been recognized near Gunnison in central Colorado. These data have led to questions regarding the extent and nature of pre-1.8 Ga crustal material and the genesis of the Yavapai Province. We present evidence for a geochemically distinct, spatially restricted crustal block underlain by pre-1.8 Ga crust material (referred to here as the Gunnison block) in central to western Colorado within the Yavapai Province. The Gunnison block is characterized by 1.8–1.9 and 2.4–2.6 Ga inherited zircon, Pb isotopic systematics (μ = 9.8 ± 0.1, κ = 3.7 ± 0.1) elevated relative to 1.8 Ga depleted mantle values, 1.8–2.5 Ga Nd and Hf model ages, and a distinct pressure-temperature-time history. The geochemical data are consistent with mixing between juvenile 1.8 Ga and pre-1.8 Ga sources. The older crustal component is most similar to the isotopically enriched Mojave Province of eastern California and western Arizona, suggesting greater similarities between these provinces than previously recognized. Monazite and xenotime petrochronology indicate ca. 1.75–1.74, 1.72–1.69, 1.67, and 1.47–1.38 Ga tectono-metamorphic events. These data suggest that the Gunnison block accreted to other components of the Yavapai Province outboard of Laurentia at 1.75–1.74 Ga. The composite Yavapai Province was accreted to the margin of Laurentia during the 1.72–1.69 Ga Yavapai orogeny. Later overprinting is associated with the ∼1.68–1.60 Ga Mazatzal and ∼1.47–1.37 Ga Picuris orogenies. Identification of distinct crustal terranes within the Yavapai Province supports models involving multiple arcs and back-arcs that were progressively assembled prior to their accretion to Laurentia, perhaps akin to the present-day Banda Sea in Indonesia.

Simulated ocean circulation and its variability in the Northern Banda Sea from CROCO model

A simulation of 1/24º resolution 3-dimension regional ocean circulation of CROCO was successfully performed from 2015 to 2022 (8 years), covering the ENSO year in El Niño 2015 and La Niña 2022 in the northern Banda Sea (NBS). The model and data comparison of sea surface temperature/height reproduced the observed satellite datasets well, with correlation coefficients above 0.9. It is shown that the mean circulation in the NBS is fed by two inflows from western Buru and the Manipa Strait, resulting in a meandering eastward mean circulation with warmer water accumulated in the eastern NBS, associated with high current variance south of Buru and along the Manipa Strait. Seasonal variations in the oceanographic parameters were dominant in the study area. For example, during the southeast (northwest) monsoon period, the seawater temperature is minimum (maximum) and the salinity is maximum (minimum). Furthermore, the interannual timescale ENSO and IOD significantly modulated seawater temperature and salinity variation, particularly at the thermocline layer (110 m). Much cooler and saltier water is associated with El Niño 2015 and a positive IOD, in contrast to warmer and fresher water during La Niña 2022 and a negative IOD.

Pygmy Blue Whale Home Ranges and Their Overlaps with Indonesian and Australian Marine Protected Areas: Comparison between a-LoCoH and BBMM Methods

Information on the distribution of marine migratory species is lacking, and for a long time, these species have been overlooked in the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This study analysed the home range of pygmy blue whales (PBWs) from western Australia to eastern Indonesia to be able to assess the overlap with current MPAs. In this study, data from 11 individual PBWs tagged in the Perth Canyon were used. Two home range methods, adaptive Local Convex Hull (a-LoCoH) and Brownian Bridge Movement Model (BBMM), were performed and compared to identify core use areas and connections between these areas (i.e., migration corridors). By assessing the relative properties and visually inspecting the home ranges, 90% BBMM (home range and migration corridor) and 50% BBMM (core use area) are chosen as the best results, because they cover the connected core-use areas to a large extent. The home ranges that were covered by current MPAs were only 2% in Indonesia and 16% in Australia. Important migration corridors without current protection are in the east Savu Sea, south of Timor Island, and wider Banda Sea. It is noteworthy that comparing methods is relevant to be able to choose the most suitable method for the data used and the goal of this study. The limited overlap between the calculated home ranges and the MPAs of the Indonesian waters articulates the importance of in-depth scientific studies to be able to evaluate, implement and develop marine conservation planning.

Seismic Hazard Assessment in Maluku Province Using PSHA

On 10 January 2023, a strong earthquake with a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.5 occurred in Banda Sea, Maluku Province. This earthquake caused casualties around the epicentre due to the building collapse which was not an earthquake-resistant structure. A high level of seismic vulnerability and non-standard infrastructure often result in large losses when earthquakes occur. Therefore, mapping of earthquake-prone areas needs to be carried out to optimize the mitigation efforts based on Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) and Spectrum Acceleration (SA) values. In this paper, mitigation efforts are carried out by mapping earthquake-prone areas using Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA) which considers the potential of each complex earthquake source in Maluku Province. Input data was obtained from several earthquake catalogues such as Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS), International Seismological Center (ISC), and United States Geological Survey (USGS) which were processed and analyzed using the Matlab, ZMap, and R-CRISIS programs and mapped using the ArcMap program. The results of PSHA show that Maluku Province is a region with varying levels of earthquake vulnerability. The research results show that the distribution hazard value on PGA in Maluku Province reaches 0.02g to 0.48g for a return period of 500 years and 0.04g to 0.79g for a return period of 2,500 years and on SA for periods of 0.20 seconds and 1.00 second reaches 0.04g to 0.89g and 0.01g to 0.22g for a return period of 500 years and 0.07g to 1.48g and 0.02g to 0.35g for a return period of 2,500 years, respectively. The highest level of vulnerability is in the northern region including Seram Island, Way Apu Island and Ambon Island and the lowest level of vulnerability is in the eastern region including Aru Island.

Estimation of The Potential of Large Pelagic Fish Fisheries Using Satellite Data in The Banda and Arafura Seas

The Banda and Arafura Sea possesses significant potential for the fisheries and fishing industry in the country. The large pelagic fish production data studied were derived from satellite imagery data in the Banda and Arafura Seas (2002-2022). The data of chlorophyll-a content, sea surface temperature and Photosynthetically Available Radiation (PAR) derived from AQUA MODIS satellite images were used to estimate the value of primary productivity with the Vertically Generalised Production Model (VGPM). The results showed that the biomass of large pelagic fish fluctuated seasonally, with the Banda Sea and Arafura Sea having high average fish biomass values in the eastern season. With the highest fish biomass peak in August and the lowest in December. The high value of fish biomass in the Banda Sea and Arafura Sea is caused by upwelling events where sea surface temperatures are low but chlorophyll is high. in the Arafura Sea the value of fish biomass is higher than the Banda Sea, this is due to the large amount of nutrient input from large rivers in the area.

Observed Anomaly of Temperature and Mixed Layer Depth Associated with the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) Active Phase in the Banda Sea, Indonesia

The eastward propagation of atmospheric waves along the equatorial band from the central equatorial Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean passing through the Indonesian Maritime Continent (IMC), known as the intraseasonal Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) event, plays an important role on modulating both atmospheric and upper ocean dynamics along its path. This study aims to investigate the MJO active phase dynamics and its impact on changes in near-surface seawater temperature and mixed layer depth (MLD) anomaly in the Banda Sea Indonesia, using multi-datasets of atmospheric reanalysis, satellites derived sea surface temperature (SST), and Argo float between 2017 - 2018. This study revealed that the MJO waves propagate eastward along the southern equator-line over the IMC and pass through the Banda Sea, associated with significant decreased on Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) and increased in zonal wind speed at 850hPa. The study result shows anomalous increased on surface wind speed and SST cooling during of MJO active phase. The amplitude peaks of filtered ocean-atmosphere variables range between 30 – 60 days. Argo float datasets in the Banda Sea for the first time captured upper ocean responses to the arrival of the MJO active phase, as characterized by a negative temperature anomaly of ~0.3°C in the surface mixed layer, large temperature anomaly of ~0.8°C in the thermocline layer and the deepening of the MLD of ~25 m. Hence, the MJO active phase impacts significantly on surface and vertical temperature cooling and regulate upper ocean mixing intensity in the Banda Sea.