
The tropics are warm and moist area near the Earth equator, bounded by the Tropic of Cancer in the north and Tropic of Capricorn to the south. The area was covered by three major seas, three continents, and a vast archipelago known as the Maritime Continent. The tropics receive more energy from the sun than any other part of the Earth. This tremendous amount of energy is the fuel for almost all global atmospheric and oceanic circulation. Many research has suggested that atmospheric condition of the tropics may affect weather and climate over the rest of the planet.
Maritime Continent is the only part of tropics that consists of an archipelago. Thousands of island are spread out in an intricate layout between Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. The atmospheric condition over Maritime Continent was mainly driven by the Asian-Australian Monsoon. Precipitation over the Maritime Continent is highly influenced by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). It also highly affected by the El-Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole Mode (IOD). The Maritime Continent also crossed by Indonesia Through-Flow (ITF), the only artery connecting Pacific and Indian Ocean. This complex mixture of land and sea, along with various atmospheric and oceanic phenomena within it, makes Maritime Continent a unique, enigmatic and challenging area for scientific endeavor on tropical meteorology and atmospheric science.
Various observation campaign and coordinated research has been conducted to better understand the atmospheric and oceanic condition over the tropics, especially the Maritime Continent. Since the International Winter Monsoon Experiment in 1978, to TOGA COARE in 1993, to HARIMAU that end on 2010, and CINDY/DYNAMO in 2011, many scientific discoveries has been found to enrich the knowledge of atmospheric science on the tropics. The recent Year of Maritime Continent (YMC) during 2017 - 2020, aimed to improve understanding and prediction of Maritime Continent's local variability and global impact, was the state-of-the-art of such coordinated research on the tropics.
To share recent findings and knowledge on meteorology and atmospheric science of the tropics, especially over Maritime Continent, we proudly announced the 2nd International Conference on Tropical Meteorology and Atmospheric Science (ICTMAS 2020). The conference is co-organized by Center for Research and Development (Pusat Penelitian dan Pengembangan) of Indonesian Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (Badan Meteorologi Klimatologi dan Geofisika - BMKG), Geophysics Meteorology Department (Program Studi Geofisika Meteorologi - Geomet) of IPB University (Institut Pertanian Bogor - IPB) and College of Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (Sekolah Tinggi Meteorologi Klimatologi dan Geofisika - STMKG). ICTMAS 2020 is highly supported by Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology through Center of Excelent (Pusat Unggulan IPTEK- PUI) program. The conference also supported by Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lembaga Penerbangan dan Antariksa Nasional - LAPAN) and Agency For The Assessment and Application of Technology (Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi - BPPT). International supports to the conference are given by Japan Agency for Marine Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), YMC, Kyoto University and other contributed institutions. ICTMAS 2020 will be held at BMKG, Jakarta, Indonesia from 16 - 17 September 2020.
The ICTMAS 2020 will bring together scientists from all over the world to one meeting covering all disciplines of the tropical meteorology and atmospheric science, and share recent knowledge on the related fields. The ICTMAS aims to provide a forum where scientists, especially early career researchers, can present their work and discuss their ideas with experts in all fields of tropical meteorology and atmospheric science. The ICTMAS 2020 also aimed to strengthen international collaboration in research and education, especially on tropical meteorology and atmospheric science.
ICTMAS 2020 topics emphasize scientific research on tropical meteorology and chemistry, as well as technological advancement on atmospheric observation and modeling, and the application of those science and technology to humanity. The conference consists of 5 main topics, which are (1) Basic Science; (2) Observation; (3) Modelling; (4) Services; and (5) Extreme Events. Any topics that do not comply with these 5 topics, but still related to meteorology and atmospheric science in general are welcomed.
We hope the ICTMAS 2020 aids in coalescing the community of interested researchers and practitioners around shared definitions, themes, best practices, and future research priorities. We are optimistic that the cross-disciplinary interactions the ICTMAS 2020 will foster will contribute to produce new funding streams, inspiring future research, and supporting actionable science and risk calculations. To this end, we plan to publish a peer-reviewed perspectives article and to encourage media accounts that lead to greater research, practitioner, and public awareness. Considering the emerging nature and broad applicability of the topic, we believe there is potential for highly visible and valuable research to emerge from this ICTMAS 2020.
The ICTMAS 2020 will be held on the auditorium of BMKG. The venue is located in Jakarta, a metropolitan city as well as an Indonesia's huge capital, located on northwest coast of Java Island. A diverse mix of cultures–Javanese, Malay, Chinese, Arab, Indian, and European–inspired its architecture, literature, and cuisine. Kota Tua, the old town, is home to Dutch colonial houses, Glodok (Jakarta's Chinatown) and Sunda Kelapa's old harbor, where traditional wooden schooners dock.
We would like to invite you to attend the International Conference on Tropical Meteorology and Atmospheric Science (ICTMAS) 2020 to share your knowledge and expertise in the tropical meteorology and atmospheric science. We hope the conference could promote your research and extend your research network further. We also hope you will enjoy our beloved city of Jakarta's lively atmosphere and hospitality.
Warm regards,
Committee of
International Conference on Tropical Meteorology and Atmospheric Science
ICTMAS 2020