BRIN Modifies Weather to Support Mandalika MotoGP

TheIndonesia.id - National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) conducted a weather modification technology operation (TMC) to support Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). TMC will be conducted from March 17 to March 20, 2022.

"BRIN is ready to participate in the success of the 2022 MotoGP series through the support of TMC operations," said BRIN Acting Director of Strengthening and Partnerships, Research and Innovation Infrastructure Salim Mustofa in a statement in Jakarta, Friday, March 18, 2022.

TMC operation is intended to reduce rainfall and prevent rain from falling in the MotoGP area. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) early warning regarding the potential for heavy rain accompanied by lightning and tornadoes in West Nusa Tenggara area is a consideration for conducting a TMC in the Mandalika area.

BRIN has coordinated with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, and the Indonesian Air Force to carry out TMC operations in Mandalika on 17-20 March 2022 to anticipate rain at the Mandalika International Circuit which is hosting the MotoGP event.

BRIN has sent 15 personnel from the TMC Management Laboratory and the Deputy Secretariat for Research and Innovation Infrastructure to run the TMC operation. The TMC operation in Mandalika is supported by one unit of Casa 212-200 aircraft from the 4th Squadron of the Indonesian Air Force Base Abdulrahman Saleh Malang. Operations command is held by the Field Coordinator for TMC Operations in Mandalika M Djazim Syaifullah, who is the implementing staff of the TMC Management Laboratory.

"Every day, we together with BMKG always analyze weather data and monitor cloud growth from the radar to determine the seeding strategy that we will implement," said Djazim.

Djazim said that if it was observed that there was potential rain cloud growth moving towards the target area, the TMC operations team immediately made preparations for seeding sorties to speed up the rain process so that it fell first before reaching the target area. The implementation of the TMC operation in Mandalika followed up on a request from BNPB which was submitted to BRIN through Letter No.: S-52/KA BNPB/PD.01/03/2022 dated March 12, 2022, regarding the Application for Support for Operational Activities of Weather Modification Technology in NTB.

The implementation of the TMC was also based on the request of the Governor of NTB in connection with the stipulation of the emergency alert status for floods, landslides, and hurricanes in the Province of NTB. The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment has previously requested the implementation of TMC operations from BRIN through Letter Number: B-0210/MENKO/MARVES/PE.02.00/I/2022 dated January 21, 2022, regarding requests for support for the implementation of Weather Modification Technology (TMC) in Tourism Destinations. Super Priority Mandalika as part of the preparation for the 2022 MotoGP series race event.