Oceanography around study area

1. Hidro Oceanography
South Halmahera Sea waters are coupled to the Pacific Ocean in the north, Seram Sea and
Banda Sea in the south. The intensive oceanographic research programs through
ARLINDO program (ArusLintas Indonesia) or ITF program (Indonesian Through Flow
program) or INSTANT (International Nusantara Stratification and Transport program)
showed that a large volume of water mass (about 1.5 Sv is equivalent to 1.5 x 106 m 3/sec)
has been passing through these waters. Schematically the Arlindo flow is depicted in Figure
5.
The presence of the moving mass of water throughout the year from the Pacific Ocean to
the Indian Ocean which is part of the current world circulation or Great Conveyor Belt. This
phenomenon led to the high change of mass of water (flushing rate) in eastern Indonesia
waters, including the mass of water in the waters around the island of Obi which is part of
the South Halmahera Archipelago.

Figure 1. Halmahera Sea water is one of the shortcuts of Indonesian Traffic Flow (ITF) that
moves from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean

2. Bathymetry
In general, the depths of the ocean in South Halmahera waters can be seen in Figure below.
The straits which separate one island with another island have very deep waters. A depth of
1000 m can be found not far from the beaches of the small islands that constitute the South
Halmahera. South Halmahera waters is flanked by astrait

in both the left and right, has

been explained above, that is apath of the ARLINDO.

Figure 2. The Bathymetry of the waters around South Halmahera Province

When viewed in more detail, the depth condition of the sea around the small islands of
South Halmahera region can provide interesting insight, especially in the areas protected
from large waves and have high flushing rate. In such straits can be developed marine
culture activities such as seaweed, pearl oysters and various kinds of fish farming that have
important economic value.
Figure 3. Bathymetry of waters around Obi Mayor Island

Figure 3 shows the depth of the sea of the west coast of the island of Obi Major. The west
coast of Obi Major, by the presence of small islands,is relatively protected from strong winds
and big waves.
Figure 4 shows the Line-1 is the Intersection sperpendicular to the shoreline, and Line-2
drawn from the shoreline to the middle of the Ocean. It can be observed from line-1 that the
depth of the sea 3.15 Km from the Shore Line is up to 136m, where as line-2 shows that the
depth of the sea 3.15 Km from the Shore line is up to 186m.

Figure 4. The depth of the Sea 3.15 Km from the Shore Line

3. Sea

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Water Temperature
Generally, sea surface water temperature in Indonesian waters varies with the season, also
including sea surface temperature in the waters of South Halmahera. Figure 16 shows the
differences in the distribution of sea surface water temperature between south eastern
season and north eastern season. In the south eastern season the surface water
temperatures around South Halmahera waters ranged between 28-29C, this value is lower
than with the value of sea surface temperature during north eastern season which higher
than 30C. These lower temperature phenomenon is caused by upwelling phenomenon
appeared in the waters of the Banda Sea during South eastern season, where during which
up flow of the low-temperature sea water mass from the bottom layer occurs and is replaced
by a higher density of water mass originating from Pacific Ocean. In the north eastern
season this phenomenon does not occur, even hot temperature water masses that is piled
on the western side of the Pacific ocean tends to have stronger influence on raising
temperature in the Halmahera Sea waters.
Figure 5. Sea Surface Water Temperature

The distribution of Sea Surface Temperature (SST = Sea Surface Temperature) during
South eastern monsoon (June to August) and during North eastern monsoon (December to
February).
The results of sea surface temperature measurements made by the P2O-LIPI (2005) in the
waters surrounding South Halmahera get the results that sea surface temperature ranged
from 27.72C-28.96C. The sea water temperature of surface layer up to a depth of 50 mis
warmer than the layer below it.
4. Sea Water Salinity

Because the water of the South Halmahera Sea Indonesia is part of the general influence of
season still play a role. The season significantly influence can be seen from the distribution
of average salinity between February as the peak season in the east (west season if the
Java Sea) and south eastern season. The salinity in the waters around South Halmahera in
February (34.0) is lower than in August (34.4). The high salinity is not independent of the
position of the South Halmahera waters opposite the Pacific Ocean.

Salinity in North

Maluku waters include waters of the South Halmahera show a high enough value. The
results of temperature measurements made by the P2O - LIPI (2005) showed the value of
34 per mil salinity reached. At deeper depths, salinities value higher than the layers above
it.
5. Tidal Wave
The phenomenon of rise and fall of sea level caused by periodic gravity of the heavenly
bodies, especially the moon and sun on the sea level on Earth raises tides. Waters of the
bay are open to the Pacific Ocean lead to the phenomenon of tidal waters in South

Halmahera is a tidal wave propagation that occurs in the Pacific. Geographical distribution of
the types of tidal waters is the type of tidal mix-leaning double tide (tide prevailing mixed
semidiurnal), meaning that in one day happened twice ups and downs twice but sea levels
from tide does not same. The same condition is also derived from the results predicted by
counting Numbers Formzahl (F) of the four main tidal components (K1, O1, M2 and S2), its
F value is 0.46.
6. Sea Water Surface Current
The pattern of surface currents around the island of Halmahera is also influenced by season
system that occurred in the area. June to August surface current end to move in a clock
wise direction, starting mass of water entering through the South Halmahera east and then
turn north after circling the island at speeds up to75 cm/sec. In December currents appear to
move opposite to June of August with a speed of 25 cm/sec. In February of the current
begins to be seen moving north.
7. Surface Wave
Based on the style of generating waves in the ocean an occur due to wind (weak, medium
and strong), tectonic processes (tsunami), planetary-scale waves (wave Ross by and Kelvin)
and due to the tidal waves (wave length). Description of this time only discussed the waves
generated by the wind (Wind-Waves). Besides the fetch length, wind (speed and duration) is
the main factor generating surface waves. Based on the wind data recorded in along time
scale almost 10 years, between seasons two seasons mentioned above turns out to have a
dominant wind direction is different. This means that the direction of the waves that occur in
the waters around Halmahera also follow the direction of the wind. The following data is
presented in the form of wind roses wind (wind rose) from averaging over the last 10 years.
In general, large waves that occur in the waters around South Halmahera seen in the
months of June to August with an average altitude ranging between 1.6-2.0 m, where as in
the other months the average was only 0.8 m.
8. Beach Condition
In general it can be said that the north west coast of the island of Obi has a high diversity.
The beach consists of non-mangrove vegetation, which consists of coastal mangroves, fine
substrate beach with the composition of the dominant white sand beach and found too
rough ranging from gravel to rocky.

9. Wind Direction
Figure 6. Wind Direction

In the month of January to April and Novembe rto December winds moving to the North at
speeds ranging from 4-7 knots. In the month of May to October the windis moving to the
south at its fastest speed in September of 7 10 knots. East wind directionis more varied
than the other seasons. Different speeds of Winds from the North west direction are
encountered in the transitional season-1 (March - May) and west monsoon (June to August),
while in season of transition-2 (September-November) the wind direction moving toward
Southeast.
South Halmahera region has two seasons (western monsoon and eastern monsoon).
Western monsoon is generally characterized by high sea waves, while the Eastern monsoon
is marked by weak ocean waves. Western monsoon is usually followed by a rainy season
(December - March). At the peak of the west season the residents in the Obi Island are
unable to sail due to bad weather. East monsoon (dry season) is starting from May to
September.
In general, almost the entire area of South Halmahera receives great wind exposure (wave
generation) during Eastern monsoon, exceptin the waters along the west coast of

Halmahera (West Gane). During Western monsoon, generally, in the northern part ofSouth
Halmahera and some portion of southern areas (Guraici Islands) receive greater wind
exposure than other regions. In the Transitional seasons 1 and 2, the west coast of South
Halmahera region and most of the west coast of the island of Obi that is facing to north
west, receive great wind (wave) evenis smaller.
The climate conditions in South Halmahera region is mostly influenced by the wind pressure
fluctuation coming from Seram Sea and Molucca Sea.
There are two wind seasons occur in Obi island, West wind season and East wind season,
so that there are two transition periods interlude of both wind seasons.
The west wind season generally takes place in month of December until March, and April is
a transition period that is usually a dry season, while the south wind season generally lasts
for six months starting from May to October, and November is the transition period that is
usually a rainy season.
The average wind speed during the transition periods of April and November is of 10.2
km/hour with the greatest speed of 14.3 km/hour, while the average rainfall is of 300-500
mm/year with the number of 80-150 rainy days.
South Halmahera District is situated between 00 30 ' - 20 00 ' North latitude and that is very
close to the latitude of the equator. It has a tropical climate with average temperatures
ranging between 27C-30C.