Study Plan

Dear admission National Central University,

Little about me. My name is Muhammad Zakariya Panatagama. I graduated from Brawijaya
University, and my major is Geophysics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science in Malang, East
Java, Indonesia. After graduation with a bachelor's degree, I was offered to work at the Research Center
for Physics Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) Geophysics Department (Government Department) as
Research Assistant. At the position, my job description was processing and interpretation audio-
magnetotelluric using computational methods (Octave, GMT, Phyton), writing journal publications,
researching seismicity at Banten Province, Indonesia, and making geological map West Java Indonesia.
Also, I became a presenter at the event International Symposium on Frontier of Applied Physics 4 th 2018
in Indonesian Convention Exhibition Serpong, South Tangerang, Indonesia.
My research was called "The Phase Tensor Analysis of The Nyalindung Segment Cimandiri Fault
Zone, West Java, Indonesia," published on IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1191
(2019) 012011. I did the study from 2017 - 2018 in the Research Center for Physics Indonesian Institute
of Science (LIPI). The research aimed to determine regional strike and dimensionality using the phase
tensor method in Indonesia's Nyalindung Segment, Cimandiri Fault Zone. Subsequently, the
dimensionality analysis stage is crucial for processing magnetotelluric. Some errors in the interpretation
of modelling dimensions may result from the inaccuracies of conductivity values subsurface. Therefore,
our focus of the research was dimensionality analysis. I researched the phase tensor algorithm because
this method ignored galvanic distortion and representation, approaching an accurate value of
dimensionality and regional strike of the study area.
Furthermore, the result of our study presented that the skew angle was -3o ≤ β ≤ 3o. The skew
angle can be applied to determine the dimensionality of the study area. Besides, the rose diagrams of the
phase tensor analysis showed that the geoelectrical strike of the study area dominated to be northeast-
southwest direction with N80oE. It indicated the regional structure of the study area could be assumed as
two-dimensional, and the calculated regional strike aligns well with the previous studies.
I am interested in processing and interpreting electromagnetic geophysics using computational
methods such as phyton, GMT, or octave. Based on my experience, I mainly found the failure to
determine subsurface information from processing and interpretation less precisely, resulting in fatal
error for drilling exploration or researching earth subsurface. I explored at National Central University
website and found my candidate supervisor called Professor Ping Yu Chang. His expertise in electrical
and electromagnetic methods, geophysical data processing, and near-surface geophysics aligned with my
research interest. I am applying MSc. Geophysics at the National Central University has excellent
research for electromagnetic geophysics. Then, the University provides the Geophysics specialization
suitable with my background study, research, and previous working experience. Besides, it is supported
by the National Central University, offers a geophysics research centre with complete equipment and a
supercomputer.
I intend to research computational electromagnetic method geophysics at MSc. Geophysics at the
National Central University. Since it is my research interest issue that mostly geophysical processing
data needs computational data analysis as confirmation for interpreting, thus there is a minimalizing error
determining subsurface information. My intended research aims to analyze electromagnetics geophysical
data with a computational method. Therefore, accurate value data subsurface information is obtained and
ready for interpretation. Realizing my research idea, I should observe in the curriculum at MSc.
Geophysics at the National Central University. The curriculum contained a minimum of 24 credits for
the finishing degree requirement. I plan to take applied numerical methods, engineering geophysics,
electromagnetic prospecting, and advanced geoelectric exploration. These courses are beneficial for me
to improve my computational and electromagnetic geophysics skills, and these courses are very
supportive of my research and study. Suppose I get an opportunity to receive a scholarship MSc.
Geophysics at the National Central University, I would finish as soon as possible and go back to
Indonesia, becoming a researcher that makes computational electromagnetic method geophysics
effectively.