What is the most likely geologic hazard in your part of the country?

The most likely geologic hazard in Indonesia???
a. earthquake
b. volcanic hazard
c.Tsunami

Tectonic earthquakes will occur anywhere within the earth where there is sufficient stored elastic strain energy to drive fracture propagation along a fault plane. In the case of transform or convergent type plate boundaries, which form the largest fault surfaces on earth, they will move past each other smoothly and aseismically only if there are no irregularities or asperities along the boundary that increase the frictional resistance.

Most boundaries do have such asperities and this leads to a form of stick-slip behaviour. Once the boundary has locked, continued relative motion between the plates leads to increasing stress and therefore, stored strain energy in the volume around the fault surface. This continues until the stress has risen sufficiently to break through the asperity, suddenly allowing sliding over the locked portion of the fault, releasing the stored energy. This energy is released as a combination of radiated elastic strain seismic waves, frictional heating of the fault surface, and cracking of the rock, thus causing an earthquake. This process of gradual build-up of strain and stress punctuated by occasional sudden earthquake failure is referred to as the Elastic-rebound theory. It is estimated that only 10 percent or less of an earthquake's total energy is radiated as seismic energy. Most of the earthquake's energy is used to power the earthquake fracture growth or is converted into heat generated by friction. Therefore, earthquakes lower the Earth's available elastic potential energy and raise its temperature, though these changes are negligible compared to the conductive and convective flow of heat out from the Earth's deep interior.


Plate tectonicists who accept the evidence for deep continental roots have proposed that plates may extend to and glide along the 400-km or even 670-km seismic discontinuity (Seyfert, 1998; Jordan, 1975, 1978, 1979). Jordan, for instance, suggested that the oceanic lithosphere moves on the classical low-velocity zone, while the continental lithosphere moves along the 400-km discontinuity. However, there is no certainty that a superplastic zone exists at this discontinuity, and no evidence has been found of a shear zone connecting the two decoupling layers along the trailing edge of continents (Lowman, 1985). Moreover, even under the oceans there appears to be no continuous asthenosphere. Finally, the movement of such thick "plates" poses an even greater problem than that of thin lithospheric plates.

The driving force of plate movements was initially claimed to be mantle-deep convection currents welling up beneath midocean ridges, with downwelling occurring beneath ocean trenches. Since the existence of layering in the mantle was considered to render whole-mantle convection unlikely, two-layer convection models were also proposed. Jeffreys (1974) argued that convection cannot take place because it is a self-damping process, as described by the Lomnitz law. Plate tectonicists expected seismic tomography to provide clear evidence of a well-organized convection-cell pattern, but it has actually provided strong evidence against the existence of large, plate-propelling convection cells in the upper mantle (Anderson, Tanimoto, and Zhang, 1992). Many geologists now think that mantle convection is a result of plate motion rather than its cause, and that it is shallow rather than mantle deep (McGeary and Plummer, 1998).

The favored plate-driving mechanisms at present are "ridge-push" and "slab-pull," though their adequacy is very much in doubt. Slab-pull is believed to be the dominant mechanism, and refers to the gravitational subsidence of subducted slabs. However, it will not work for plates that are largely continental, or that have leading edges that are continental, because continental crust cannot be bodily subducted due to its low density, and it seems utterly unrealistic to imagine that ridge-push from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge alone could move the 120°-wide Eurasian plate (Lowman, 1986). Moreover, evidence for the long-term weakness of large rock masses casts doubt on the idea that edge forces can be transmitted from one margin of a "plate" to its interior or opposite margin (Keith, 1993).

Where plate boundaries adjoin continents, matters often become very complex and have demanded an ever denser thicket of ad hoc modifications and amendments to the theory and practice of plate tectonics in the form of microplates, obscure plate boundaries, and exotic terranes. A good example is the Mediterranean, where the collisions between Africa and a swarm of microcontinents have produced a tectonic nightmare that is far from resolved. More disturbingly, some of the present plate boundaries, especially in the eastern Mediterranean, appear to be so diffuse and so anomalous that they cannot be compared to the three types of plate boundaries of the basic theory.

Plate boundaries are identified and defined mainly on the basis of earthquake and volcanic activity. The close correspondence between plate edges and belts of earthquakes and volcanoes is therefore to be expected and can hardly be regarded as one of the "successes" of plate tectonics (McGeary and Plummer, 1998). Moreover, the simple pattern of earthquakes around the Pacific Basin on which plate-tectonics models have hitherto been based has been seriously undermined by more recent studies showing a surprisingly large number of earthquakes in deep-sea regions previously thought to be aseismic (Storetvedt, 1997). Another major problem is that several "plate boundaries" are purely theoretical and appear to be nonexistent, including the northwest Pacific boundary of the Pacific, North American, and Eurasian plates, the southern boundary of the Philippine plate, part of the southern boundary of the Pacific plate, and most of the northern and southern boundaries of the South American plate (Stanley, 1989).
The theory states that the Earth's lithosphere is divided into plates (about 100 km thick) that move around on top of the asthenosphere. Continental crust is embedded within the lithospheric plates. The Plates move in different directions, and meet each other at plate boundaries.

Three types of plate boundaries occur:
a. Divergent Plate Boundaries-
These are boundaries where plates move away from each other, and where new oceanic crust and lithosphere are created. Magmas rising from the underlying asthenosphere intrude and erupt beneath and at an oceanic ridge to create new seafloor. This pushes the plates on either side away from each other in opposite directions.

The margin itself becomes uplifted to form oceanic ridges, which are also called spreading centers, because oceanic lithosphere spreads away on each side of the boundary. While most diverging plate boundaries occur at the oceanic ridges, sometimes continents are split apart along zones called rift zones, where new oceanic lithosphere may eventually form. Volcanism and earthquakes are common along diverging plate boundaries

b. Convergent Plate Boundaries :
These are boundaries where two plates move toward each other. Atsuch boundaries one of the plates must sink below the other in a process called subduction. Two types of convergent boundaries are known.

c. Subduction Boundaries:
These occur where either oceanic lithosphere subducts beneath oceanic lithosphere (ocean-ocean convergence), or where oceanic lithosphere subducts beneath continental lithosphere (ocean-continent convergence). Where the two plates meet, an oceanic trench is formed on the seafloor, and this trench marks the plate boundary.

When two plates of oceanic lithosphere run into one another the subducting plate is pushed to depths where it causes melting to occur. These melts (magmas) rise to the surface to produce chains of islands known as island arcs. A good example of an island arc is the Caribbean islands. When a plate made of oceanic lithosphere runs into a plate with continental lithosphere, the plate with oceanic lithosphere subducts because it has a higher density than continental lithosphere. Again, the subducted lithosphere is pushed to depths where magmas are generated, and these magmas rise to the surface to produce, in this case, a volcanic arc, on the continental margin. Good examples of this type of volcanic arc are the Cascade mountains of the northwestern U.S. and the Andes mountains of South America. Squeezing together and uplifting the continental crust on both plates. The Himalayan mountains between India and China where formed in this way, as were the Appalachian Mountains about 300 million years ago.

All convergent boundaries are zones of frequent and powerful earthquakes. Transform Fault Boundaries - When two plates slide past one another, the type of boundary occurs along a transform fault. These are also zones of frequent and powerful earthquakes, but generally not zones of volcanism. The famous San Andreas Fault of California is an example of a transform fault, forming one part of the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate.




By: RATIH FITRIA PUTRI (Double Degree Master Programe MPPDAS UGM - Remote Sensing Chiba University,Japan)

Geomorphology & Hydrology Aspect Analysis (Geographic Location and Government Administration) of Pacarejo & Mangunan, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta

Geographic Location
A. The Village of Mangunan
The village of Mangunan belonging to the Dlingo Sub District, The Regency of Bantul, D.I.Y Province is a region located in southern slope of Mount Merapi. Its height above sea level is 400 m. Based on the Digital RBI Map 1 : 25.000, year 2000 and 2001, Imogiri sheet, Mangunan village has astronomic location in 110024’20” BT – 110026’30” BT dan 8055’05” LS – 8058’00” LS.
The village of Mangunan, Dlingo Sub District, Bantul Regency has the width of approximately ± 952.3715 Hectares, consisting of 6 subvillage (sub village) with administrative boundaries:




a. Western side : Girirejo village
b. Northern side : Wukirsari village
c. Eastern side : Muntuk village
d. Southern side : Sriharjo village

The village of Mangunan is located at 6 kilometers from the centre of Sub District, while from the peoplel of regency is 14 kiometers, and from D.I.Y province peoplel is 21 kilometers. The village is divided into six subvillage, they are Subvillage Cempluk, Subvillage Kanigoro, Subvillage Mangunan, Subvillage Sukorame, Subvillage Lemahbang, dan Subvillage Kediwung.

B. The Village of Pacarejo

Pacarejo village which belongs to Semanu Sub District, Gunung Kidul Regency, D. I .Y Province is a region situated in the southern side of the city of Wonosari. This region is located at 381 meters above sea level. Based on Digital RBI map 1 : 25.000, year 2000 and 2001,Semanu sheet, Wonosari, Karangduwet, and Karangmojo, Pacarejo village has the astronomic location at 110035’30” BT – 110038’30” BT and 08003’30” LS – 08003’30” LS.

The village of Pacarejo and Semanu Sub District, Gunung Kidul Regency has the width of ± 3693,181 Hectares, consisting of 29 subvillage with the adminitrative boundaries as below :

a. Western side : Mulo vilage and Duwet village, Wonosari Sub District
b. Northern side : Baleharjo village and Semanu village
c. Eastern side : Semanu village and Candirejo village
d. Southern side : Hargosari village, Tanjungsari Sub District

The village of is located 5 km from the village government centre, while from the regency peoplel is km, and the distance from the province peoplel D.I.Y is 49 km. The village is divided into 29 subvillage, they are Subvillage Banyumanik, Peyuyon, Serpeng Lor, Serpeng Wetan, Pacing Lor, Pacing Kidul, Tekik, Dorogayung, Ngampo, Dengok Kidul, Dengok Lor, Kuwon Kidul, Kuwon Tengah, Kuwon Lor, Trukanngampo, Kwangen Kidul, Kwangen Lor, Jasem lor, Jasem Kidul, Wilayu, Jetis Kulon, Kenteng, Jelok, Jonge, Jetis Wetan, Cempluk, Kuwangen Lor, Kuwangen Kidul, and Subvillage Tonggor.

Climatology of Mangunan Village

The climatic condition influences soil, rock, groundwater and area vegetation condition or. Rain is an influencing factor of land slide. The classification of rain use the classification from Schmidt dan Ferguson.
The calculation of region climate type of the study region is done by comparing the average rate of dry month and the average rate of wet moon. Dry moon are months with monthly rain rate of less than 60mm, while wet moon are months with rain rate of more than 100mm.
The climate condition of the study area is known through the calculation of rain rate data for 10 years, that is from year 1989 – 1999 from five rain gauge station located closest to the research area, they area Terong (200 mdpal), Barongan (60 mdpal), Playen (200 mdpal), Dogongan/Siluk (286 mdpal), and Giriwungu (264 mdpal).

Based on Q value, Schmidt and Ferguson determine type of rain in Indonesia as shown in picturer 3.2. Based on rain type classification from Schmidt dan Ferguson, Q value in the research region is about 0, 5 – 1, 5 . Therefore, type of climate A (very humid) and B (humid).

Based on the analysis using Koppen method, the region, in fact, belongs to the region with Aw climate type, that is humid – dry climate. Type A means that the temperature in the lowest month is more than 18ºC , while Aw means the amounts of rain in the wet months can not balance the lack of rain in the dry months, so in the dry season the region frequently lack in water. (meteorologically dry).



Topography dan Morphology

The morphology of Mangunan is varied from lowly flat terrains to steep slope.The difference of the height of the lowest point is 25 m above sea level, while the highest peak is 500 m above sea level. Lowly flat regions are situated in the south of the village and its topograpghy continue to rise up to the northern border of the Mangunan village. Generally, the morphology of the region is hilly, with slope inclination of 15-40%.

Pacarejo village in the Semanu Sub District has varied topography from flat, hilly, to wavy with the slope inclination of 3-30%. Most of the village regions have wavy morphology, while the flat and hilly morphology can only be found in certain places within the region of the village. The flat region is located in the south of Pacarejo village, to be precisely in Subvillage Banyumanik and Subvillage Peyuyon. The slope map of Mangunan and Pacarejo village is presented in picture.

Geomorphology and Soil

Geomorphology condition describes the land form and the process which cause the creation of the land form. The development of land form is determined by the denudation process and soil development, erosion, soil mass movement and or rock mass movemet, flood, sedimentation, marine abrasion, climate, ocean wave, earth gravity, and biology including human.

The land form classification used in this research is based on the classification made by BAKOSURTANAL ( 1985 ) in Prapto Suharsono (1988), which emphasizes on the genesis and topography. Geomorphology process in the research region can be known from its topography visibility through the interpretation of aerial photo.

The land form which is found in the research region is the land form from structural process, such as escarpment, uplifted hills, folded mountains, and the valleys between hills. This land form is highly controlled by structural processes which happen like fault, fold, uplifting, and is deeply related with litology and geology structure in this region. Soil has the ability to store, release, and percolate rain water. The condition of soil which influences such ability is the solum depth, permeability, and texture. The soil condition in the research region is known from Semi Detailed Soil Map of D. I. Y scale 1 : 50.000, year 1994 from The Agroclimate and Soil Research Centre, Bogor.

Hydrology Condition
A. Mangunan Village
The Mangunan Village belongs to the system of Oyo River Stream. The Rivers which flows in Mangunan Village almostly rivers with order one and shape a radial stream pattern. The large intensity of rain in the research amounts to 1412,2 – 2592,5 mm/yrs. Providing water supply for Oyo River. The available geology and geomorphology conditions are able to store ground water, so in several places there are springs.
Springs in the research area flow all year round and are found at the upper until middle slope. The lack of effort of land and water conservation causes decrease in the springs discharge around the village. Springs are used for every activities of people, either domestic or farming activities are delivered through water pipes or storing tub to the people and settlement.

Oyo river is the main river which flows across The Baturagung Hills Zone. The river is an intermittent river, so in the dry season the river seldom experience lack of water or low discharge. The main function of Oyo River is as a sources of irrigation for the farm fields along the banks of Oyo River. The rocks forming the base of Oyo River belong to The Oyo Formation with the main rocks are napalm and limestone. Materials often brought by the stream of Oyo River are Alluvium Sediment which originate from massive platform. Colluvium Sediment as pebbles and gravel are used by the surrounding people as mine material class C. The small rivers in the research area are mostly the river which only flow in the rainy season because of the lack of water supply and also because of the high inclination of the river base. The existing rivers also function as the carrier of erosion sediment.

The availability of water in the lower slope is still be influenced by the springs, either from the lower slope or the middle and the upper slope, also the river water. The water is used for irrigating farm fields. Meanwhile, the existence of ground water is still few in several places, because the ground water in this place has 12- 15 meters from the land surface. The main sources of fresh water for the daily activities are wells and springs. The irrigation facilities in Mangunan village are reservoir (4),water pump (10) and water divider (10). There is no irrigation ditch in this village, so it entirely depends on on rain storage field and drill bor made around farm fields, which seldom contain high quality water.

B. Pacarejo Village
The rivers which flows the Pacarejo Village are mostly the rivers with order one and form irregular stream pattern, because they are related with their geology condition. The available geology and geomorphology conditions are not able to store ground water, so in certain places there are ponds which are unsaturated water surface. Being an area composed of limestone as bed rocks, the area has an intensive denudational process. This causes ground water to become more deeply located, causing the surrounding people to rely on ponds to access water for everyday’s use.
The rivers in the research area are mostly the rivers which flow only in the rainy season because of the lack of water supply, and also because of the great inclination of the river base. The available rivers has the function of being the transporter of of erosion sediment. Some of the rivers in Pacarejo village they are Kali Sureng, Kali Ngingrong, Kali Jirak, Kali Gunungringin, Kali Dengok, and Kali Ngrejeng. From the field survey result, every river in the area suffer from dryness in the dry season. Irigation facility in Pacarejo village are water pump (3 units), ponds (10 and windmills (1). In the village, there is an irigatino ditch for irigating farms, especially in the dry season.



*Read More ^_^ My Paper... on: http://chiba-u.academia.edu/RATIHFITRIAPUTRI
*) Paper presented at the GTZ Project (Germany - Gadjah Mada University Indonesia)


By: RATIH FITRIA PUTRI (Double Degree Master Programe Remote Sensing Chiba University, Japan and Watershed & Coastal Management Gadjah Mada University)

Remote Sensing & GIS...... Tsunami Inundation Hazard Map.....

Last tsunami in 1994 and 2006 in Java, Indonesia gives huge impact to the loss of property and agricultural production. From an agricultural point of view, the area affected the most by this hazard is the paddy field that is located on the lowland and coastal area. The tsunami hazard caused serious damage included loss of plants, increased plant disease, and delays in harvesting.


Papathoma and Dominey-Howes (2003) has examined the published tsunami risk maps, and generally, those maps indicate that tsunami flood risk is traditionally assumed uniform within the expected flood zone. However, Papadopoulos (2003) has also revealed that the population, infrastructure and land use within a given flood zone are not uniformly at risk. This is because risk is closely related to vulnerability, which measures the potential of loss and damage. Therefore, the vulnerability value is also different for each of element at risk. In term of the agricultural land, which is one of the most vulnerable land use due to the tsunami inundation, estimation of risk can be calculated by determining the type of the agricultural activities (ex., type of crop, etc) in order to have the detail estimation of the loss of production due to tsunami inundation.


Indonesia is considered one of the most tectonically active zones in the world, since this region has very complicated plate-convergences consisting of subduction, collision, and back-arc trusting (see Figure 1). At least some of the coastal areas in Indonesia are subject to tsunami hazard, which is caused by earthquake in a shallow region at subduction and plate boundaries. At least 105 tsunami has occurred throughout the Indonesian coastal areas since 1600, and 90% of this destructive event was generated by earthquake (Hamzah, et al. 2000). Although tsunami hazard, which is considered as the most devastating hazard, occurred frequently and attacked the coastal area of Indonesia, their regional characteristics are not well known. There is still limited study about the tsunami characteristics, hazards and tsunami-risk reduction strategies. One of the important issues pertaining to the risk reduction program is the generating of the hazard map, identification of the element at risk and the estimation of the potential damage due to the hazard.
Due to the changes in density of agricultural land use pattern of the southern coastal area of Central Java, it has recently been suggested that the potential impacts of future tsunami hazard are likely to be much greater than in the past. To what level selected coastal segments of Central Java (Parangtritis coastal area, Bantul regency) are at risk from, and vulnerable to, tsunami inundation and impacts are the most imperative questions to be answered. Estimation model and calculation is therefore considered as an important task to be done in the near in order to give the preliminary assessment of the potential damage due to the scenario of tsunami hazard.


A remotely sensed approach in combination with the Geographic Information System (GIS) might be more useful for establishing the spatial extent of potential hazard inundation (Marfai and King 2008a, Marfai and King 2008b) as well as to calculate the spatial agricultural damage over large areas (Lillesand et al.2004). Nowadays, the technology of the satellites images are increasing rapidly in term of the technology development and technology application. As example, data acquired by satellite sensors for land use determination, especially at coastal agricultural land use, is becoming an increasingly important source of information for precision farming. A Hyperspectral sensor such as IKONOS has dramatically increased spatial, spectral, and temporal frequencies that make them appealing to applications in precision agriculture. However, due to the large synoptic view provided and reasonable spatial resolution, the Landsat and ALOS satellites are also of equal importance in precision farming.

Based on the tsunami vulnerability map (Bakosurtanal 2006) and the experience of the last tsunami disaster in Pangandaran, it is therefore necessary to map and assess into more detail the potential impact due to the future tsunami. Parangtritis coastal segment, which located not so far from Pangandaran area, has potential risk due to tsunami.



*Read More ^_^ My Paper...
*) Paper presented at the International conference on coastal environment and management-for the future of human lives on the coastal regions-. 23rd – 24th February 2009. Shima, Southern Mie Prefecture, Central Japan. Asia and Africa Science Platform Program, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Nagoya University, Japan



By: RATIH FITRIA PUTRI (Double Degree Master Programe Watershed & Coastal Management Gadjah Mada University & Remote Sensing Chiba University, Japan)

LAND DEGRADATION PROCESS

I. INTRODUCTION

To facilitate understanding of the geo-physical degradation processes in order to Basics Course Environmental Impact Analysis, is more obvious when traced from the nature of word processing; degradation; and geo-physical may be withdrawn prior to the proper meaning. The process is a way, change / change, or how to change, how to change something from one state to another than its original state. Degradation comes from Degradation or degrade, which means decreasing a level (grade) of something the state, condition, quality, or quantity. While the geo-physical aspects of the environment is one aspect in addition biotis and social aspects of economic and social culture. Thus is the process of geo-physical degradation, none other than the way, change, change reduced levels of state, condition, quality, or quantity of geo-physical aspects of the environment as a result of the development.


The definition is no different from understanding the negative impacts of development, because environmental impacts (Act No. RI. 23, 1997, Article 1, paragraph 20), is the effect of changes in the environment caused by a business and / or activity. Nevertheless in the analysis of the environmental impacts should be noted that in addition to understanding the environmental impacts, as noted above, it should be understood terms of major and significant impact (PP No. 27 Year 1999, Article 1, paragraph 2) is to change the very basic environmental caused by a business and / or activity. In talks geo-physical degradation process of course will not achieve greater impact conversation and important, but at least until the change of environment or environmental impacts.

Environment (UURI No. 23 Year 1997 article 1 paragraph 1) is a unit of space with all the objects, resources, circumstances, and living creatures, including humans and their behavior, which affect the sustainability of livelihood and welfare of human beings and other living creatures life. The meaning of objects is an aspect of state power and geo-physical environment which consists of environmental components such as climate, physiography, hydrology, hidrooseanografi, land space and land. The meaning of life other than human beings are aspects of the environment, including components biotis flora and fauna. Human being and his behavior and socio-economic and socio-cultural or demographic profile including population, social activities both economic and cultural fields.

Understanding the unity of space, exactly is the unity of spatial (spatial entity), is that the presence of elements or components agihan environment are in a relationship, dependency, affect each other and follow each other in a single order thoroughly intact. Furthermore, this is referred to as ecosystems (UURI No.23 Year 1997, Article 1 number 4) is the arrangement of environmental elements that are integrated and comprehensive and mutual influence in shaping the balance of stability and productivity of the environment.

Thus, any harassment against one of the environmental component may result in changes in other environmental components. Development is essentially always lead to changes in environmental components. So that components do not experience degradation of the environment of Indonesia development-oriented Insight Development Environment (Law No. RI. 23, 1997, Article 1 Figure 3), is a conscious and planned effort that combines elements of the environment, including resources, into the development process to ensure capability , welfare, and quality of life of the present generation and future generations.

In the context of geo-physical degradation process will be dealt degradation, (geomorphology), land degradation, degradation and water quality conditions, and degradation of air quality.


II. DEGRADATION PROCESS

Within geomorphology is the degradation is the process of becoming the low surface of the earth as a result of the process of weathering, the process of moving the rocks, and the process of erosion.

The process is the disintegration of rock weathering (menjadinya rock fragments) and the decomposition of rock (menjadinya changes the chemical makeup of rocks) in place. This rock outcrop is influenced by climatic factors, topography, lithology, and vegetation or biota. Rock weathering process is the beginning of soil formation. The process of the rock movement (mass wasting, gravitative transfered, or mass movement) is a down slope movement of rock debris on a large scale from slow to fast under the direct influence of gravitational force. Motion during these rocks generally occur on steep slopes which is driven by structural geology / geomorphology of unstable rock. Based on the type of movement and type of rock, the rock motion is divided based on the type of slow to very slow movements (creep), including soil creep, creep loose stone, stone gletsyer creep, and solifluction; type of slow motion to fast (flow, flow), including lava Flow, or Earth, and debris, mudflow, avalanches; type that moves very fast (avalanche of land, land-slides), including its free fall soil material, loose rock, and rock debris, meluncurnya soil material, rock boulders, rock rubble in the field of launchers and landslides on the surface of terputar (slump) that frequently occur in the river cliffs or steep cliffs, and the last is the type terban (subsidence) that can occur as the ruins of a cave roof, plastering amblegan as a result of oil or excessive ground water.

While erosion, in geomorphology, it is too loose and terangkutnya process earth materials by the energy of water flowing geomorphology, wave-current-tsunami, gletsyer, and wind. Erosion is generally known is the erosion by water power or accelerated erosion is the erosion due to the influence of human intervention (in addition to the known geological erosion and the erosion of normal). The process of erosion occurs from the onset of rain drops hit the soil surface, is referred to the type of rain splash erosion, runoff and runoff that flows resulted in widespread erosion type sheet; surface stream that flows lead the type of concentrated flow erosion and gully erosion type.

Level the greater the danger of erosion due to deforestation and haphazard land landslides resulted in the emergence of critical lands, namely the use of farm land not in accordance with the ability to cause damage to farm land in the physical, chemical and biological orohidrologi to interfere with the functions, governance water, agricultural and socio-economic and socio-cultural, which resulted in landslides and erosion and sedimentation upstream section and flooding in downstream areas of the watershed. Makin meningkatnyqa hazards and natural disasters on developing countries, such as landslides, land, soil erosion, floods and droughts; as a result of efforts to meet the needs for food, clothing and shelter to the forgotten control and conservation of forests, soil and water; encourage the United Nations initiated natural disaster reduction efforts internationally. For those reasons, the last decade of this century 20 (1990-2000), known as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction or the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.


III. LAND DEGRADATION

Land degradation (excerpted from the APA Vink, Landscape Ecology and Land Use, 1983) is not integral to the conservation of land and land development is only appropriate when land degradation has occurred. When in fact the conservation of land or land development or both need to always be done while land degradation has not occurred, namely to develop the area for a special land use.

Various human activities in land use for urban, industry and agriculture has resulted in intensive land-use change at all, thereby SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment) of ICSU (International Council of Scientefic Union) introduced the term transformation of the land according to a the fact that the land in the world including its waters is growing rapidly and extensively changing as a result of human activities.
Land degradation is expressed as the erosion is a phenomenon well known as a standard, at least for farmers in various countries. Manjadi land degradation now a very comprehensive subject which is seen as part of the environmental crisis in the modern world (Eckholm, 1978). Land degradation is very serious impact on the poorest countries in the world and also the inhabitants who are poor. Means, in some countries, the unavailability of food for population growth, and this is a major global problem which continues to grow.
Logging arbitrary is the main cause of land degradation. Nevertheless it is not possible the entire forest is maintained because the population needs food, as well as agricultural products and forestry such as clothing, shelter or paper. Terencanakannya uncontrolled and not properly logging is probably the greatest ecological danger. Almost impossible to give general guidance about the quantity and the way logging is still allowed in certain circumstances. This is determined by the possibilities and requirements of local or regional landscape maps based on ecological and other scientific considerations, in addition to social and economic data in the process of integration of land evaluation. The only clues are very common, is of both ecological and economic point of view which to him are considering convergence of agricultural land use that has the best fit between the land and its use in each province of a country.

In a report published by FAO for the Environment conference in Stockholm Sweden in 1972 which is the United Nations Conference, Rauschkolb (1971) mentions subjects including land degradation;

1) erosion;
2) salinization and alkalinisasi;
3) organic waste (mainly from urban areas);
4) and disease outbreaks (both for humans, animals, and growth) and the spread of organisms that spread the infection;
5) inorganic industrial waste (gas, liquid and solid)
6) pesticides;
7) radioactive materials;
8) heavy metals;
9) chemical fertilizer;
10) detergent.

IV. AIR AND WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION CONDITIONS

Some important points of water degradation, namely:
1) complete changes of water conditions in general as the main cause of floods, droughts, changes in microclimate and danger to human health;

2) The deterioration of water resources both in quantity and quality is not good because of the lack of water management and soil conservation and water pollution;

3) The destruction of water resources due to usage that exceeds the limit, causing sea water intrusion in coastal areas, compaction and amblegnya clay in the peat, all of which as a result of bad drainage;

4) Increased levels of erosion and salinization because it is not good for agricultural water management.

In the discussion of land degradation has been mentioned that the emphasis of forest ment haphazardly is a major cause of land Degras-tie. Similarly, degradation of water conditions can be caused by logging arbitrarily. Due to deforestation caused reduced evapotranspiration, infiltration, evaporation and water binding capacity; to increase the quantity of runoff that causes flooding in the rainy season and dry season drought, in addition to increasing the activity of both erosion erosion surface, groove or gully erosion, which will consequently lead to increased sedimentation and silting it up hinga river flooding.

According to Sanford (Verstappen, 1983) is the hardness of light is a state of lack of some basic commodities such as water, food plants, and grasses as a result of low rainfall or uneven distribution. Danger drought occurs mainly in semi-arid regions, as happened in Ethiopia. Areas prone to drought can be determined based on several facts, among others, rarely or absence of vegetation, the presence xerophita plants, development of wind formations like the desert and desert sand. To determine the possibility of areas affected by drought hazard information to be considered are:

1) local coarse texture and poor soil organic matter;
2) the mountainous area in the ground water;
3) region located in the arid mintakad;
4) decrease in density or changes in vegetation cover and vegetation types as a result of the pasture;
5) human activity, such as plastering water wells, which can lower the ground water.


V. AIR QUALITY DEGRADATION

Degradation of air quality can occur because of air pollution that is, an event the entry of foreign substances into the air causing air quality to decline and could disrupt or endanger the health of living beings. Causes of air pollution can come from nature are volcanic eruptions, or come as a result of human activities in industry (stationary) and moving vehicles as transportation activities. Air quality is considered based on the draft Regulation of the Minister of Health about air quality requirements of the Environment.

Air quality parameters which consist of physical parameters: temperature and humidity and wind speed and direction; chemical parameters namely: dust or pollutant particles and gases such as CO2, SO2, NOx, H2S, hydrocarbon vapors and photos oxidizing chemicals. The elements of these pollutants would be very dangerous if these elements accumulate, sector in a region with relatively long retention time. Effect caused all kinds depending on the type of pollutant or time of residence. At a certain concentration of pollutant elements can interfere with human health, animals and plants and even destroy buildings. In big cities and industrial areas of air pollution perceived opinion increasingly troubling, especially coming from a factory chimney, motorized vehicle exhaust and dust that was flying everywhere, that in time will cause a lot of serious disturbances which if not tackled early. Air and water pollution as a result of the industrial waste disposal needs careful attention, remembering the days of the upcoming industry is government policy that is taken in addition to agriculture and plantation sector. Air pollution caused by motorized vehicles is also very disturbing because in addition to the resulting effect is also relatively difficult to overcome. Similarly, noise caused ago lalangnya engined vehicles such.


VI. CONCLUSION

Air pollution, water and land have been heard going on everywhere is causing the degradation of air quality, water and land as the embodiment of the degradation of air, water and land as the embodiment of the degradation of air, water and land. Environmentally sound development of Indonesia will not break even always preserve the environment. One effort to achieve this is by requiring every plan to implement development activities Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).


REFERENCES

Anonimous, 1997. UURI No. About 23 Year 1997 Environmental Management. Jakarta: State Ministry of Development Supervision and the Environment.

Anonimous, 1999. PPRI No. 27 Year 1999 About the Environmental Impact Assessment. Jakarta: State Ministry of Population and Environment.

Budi Harsanto, 1985. Air Pollution. EIA Course Materials Lecture PPLH UGM, Yogyakarta.
Sugeng Martopo, 1991. Degradation of Materials Lecture Course biophysical EIA PPLH UGM, Yogyakarta.

Vink, A.P.A., 1983. Landscope Ecology and Land Use. Longman Group Limited, London.

By: RATIH FITRIA PUTRI (Double Degree Master Programe MPPDAS UGM - Remote Sensing Chiba University,Japan)

FEASIBILITY STUDY ON FRESH WATER

Environment continuity is influenced by pattern, policy and the environment management order. It is certain that the policy applied and arranged must give the benefit for all stakeholders. Basically, an environment is said to have given the benefit if it can be taken a economic value from it. But there is the important elementary benefit, that is the ecological value. This value is very important because if the environmental ecology value is well-kept, the economic value of the environment will be obtained.

Natural resource is an asset which can be used toward the human life prosperity. It is also said as a potency owned by nature for supporting the continuity of life through inventarization and evaluation of natural resource, effectively and efficiently. The evaluation is aimed at controlling how much resources available (such as natural resources balance) and how they are used. Its usage should be effectively and efficiently.

The problems of water resource is the important matter to be concerned by the Local Government, in relation with the effort of improving public prosperity. Water, being one of the highly important resources, is a main thing of the human necessity. Thus, water has become a basic element for the continuity of people life. Its provision is considered one of the crucial aspects in developing regional potency to fulfill the inhabitant’s need of water or other uses. Water resource includes underground water or surface water resource.

Water resource is naturally renewable naturally, because of being an unseparable element in hidrology cycle. In reality, however, there are some restricting factors influencing its usage, in quantity or in quality. In the quantity side, water resource will experience reduction in its providing ability if the amount utilized is beyond its availability. The problems of water potency, quantitatively or qualitatively, are related with the climate condition, geomorphology, geology, kind and landuse pattern, as well as human activities. Naturally, the first three abovementioned factors are the significant factors which influence the condition and dynamic of water resource potention, either the underground water or the surface water. For that purpose, the study of water resource is need to be done that will function as a fundamental element in water resource management. Water resource becomes a highly crucial problem in Indonesia, mainly in Java island, Bali, and The Island of Nusa Tenggara.

The increasing water resource needs can not be matched by a steady cycle of water. Landuse change caused by the force of people activities has generated the change in water body formed at lands. The real example can be seen in the regions which suffer flood in the rainy season, while the same regions experience dryness in the dry season. This change has forced the inhabitants in these regions to use groundwater in replace of river water. As a result, the groundwater use increases considerably at the end of the decade. Industrialization growth which can not be balanced by the permanent water source provision by the government is the main catalyst of the ground water overuse.The impact of this excessive exploitation of water source is beginning to emerge, such as periodical declining of grond water surface, land slides, sea intrusion and many more. When the environmental impact is felt, the importance of conservation is then realized.

Water source becomes one of the control parameters conduct in land order decision. As for groundwater, land order decision must follow the groundwater cycle or the groundwater flow scheme itself. The groundwater flow scheme will be started at the recharge zone. This is the zone where water on the land surface, either rainwater or surface water, experience infiltration process by gravitational means through pores at lands/rocks or through gaps/cracks at lands/rocks. This infiltration process will accumulate in a point in which water reach an impermeable rock layer. The accumulation point will create a saturated water zone. The difference of physical condition will naturally cause water in the saturated zone to flow through gravitational force, pressure difference, rock structure control and other parameters. This condition is what is called groundwater and the groundwater flow area is then called flow zone.

In this flowing phase, groundwater frequently erupts/emerges to the surface because of being cut by topography or geology control, such as fault, the occurence of impermeable rock layer, etc. The emergence of this groundwater back to the surface is called spring, while the area in which groundwater emerges is called discharge zone. Nowadays, the criteria for discharge zone has highly extended,mainly because of human activity. The area of the groundwater emergence to the surface caused by pumping, if intensively happens, can be categorized as discharge zone.
Water resource management needs a more clear, systematic, and aimed concept. To perform the providing efforts, utilization, manufacturing, and conservation of water sources in a region, it is needed a more accurate judgement about its characteristics and utilities, availability, and quality, the exact exploration method, the calculation of potency and environmentally-friendly exploitation value.. According to various concepts and considerationsas stated above, it is important to do a study on the potency of underground and surface water, in relation with the efforts of procuring potential water resource to meet the drinking needs, in quantitative or qualitative aspects. Besides, it can be formulated a pattern and utilization level so that it can be designed its utilization and conservation zone in a specified area.

The earthquake on May 27, 2006 striking Yogyakarta and the surrounding area took over 5,700 lives and caused huge disaster to the all sides of human life. Natural disaster caused by the earthquake has brought an impact on the availability of fresh water in the villages. Many local wells have become dried. This condition contributes another difficulty for the local people to do recovery.


By: Ratih Fitria Putri (Double Degree Master Programe MPPDAS UGM - Chiba University Japan)

Relativity of Time......

Today, the relativity of time is a scientifically proven fact. This has been expressed through Einstein's relativity theory of time in the early years of the 20th century. Previously, humans not yet know that time is a relative concept, and time may change depending on circumstances. Great scientist, Albert Einstein openly proved this fact with the theory of relativity. He explained that the time is determined by the mass and velocity. In human history, no one could express this fact clearly before.

But there are exceptions; Qur'an contains information about the time that is relative! Numerous verses of this review reads:

"And they urge you to hasten the punishment. But Allah will never fail in His promise. And indeed, a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of those which you count"(QS 22:47)

"He arranges [each] matter from the heaven to the earth; then it will ascend to Him in a Day, the extent of which is a thousand years of those which you count"(QS 32:5)


"The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years"(QS 70:4)

In several verses mentioned that people feel time differently, and that sometimes people can feel very short of time as something old:

"[Allah] will say, "How long did you remain on earth in number of years?" (112) They will say, "We remained a day or part of a day; ask those who enumerate." (113) He will say, "You stayed not but a little - if only you had known"(QS 23:112-114). The fact that the relativity of time is mentioned very clearly in the Qur'an, which started down in the year 610 AD, is another proof that the Qur'an is the holy Qur'an.

"By time, Indeed, mankind is in loss, Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience" (QS 103 : 1-3)


By: RATIH FITRIA PUTRI (Double Degree Master Programe MPPDAS UGM - Remote Sensing Chiba University,Japan)

Geophysic & the BIG BANG theory..... it's only the theory or "..." ?????

Through two major projects undertaken mapping of galaxies until now, scientists have made discoveries that provide crucial support for the theory of "Big Bang". The results were presented at the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society. The extent of the distribution of galaxies considered by astrophysicists as one of the most important legacy of the early stages of the universe that still exists today. Therefore, it is possible to refer to the information on the distribution and location of the galaxies as "a window opening onto the history of the universe."

In their research that lasted several years, two different research groups, composed of scientists England, Australia and America, managed to create three-dimensional map of about 266,000 galaxies. The scientists are comparing data on the distribution of galaxies that they collect the data from the Cosmic Background Radiation [Cosmic Background radiation] emitted into every corner of the universe, and made important discoveries regarding the origin of galaxies. The researchers who reviewed data concluded that the galaxies formed in the material that formed 350,000 years after the Big Bang, in which this material meet and gather, and then get the shape under the influence of gravity.

Two Important Information about the Standard Cosmological Model mentioned in the Qur'an, and in the Torah and the Gospel whose contents have changed after diwahyukannya, God has revealed that the universe and all matter is created from nothing; in the Qur'an , the only text that has not been corrupted, He reveals one other miraculous secret that the universe is expanding.

The formation of the universe becomes "there" from "nothingness" preached in the Qur'an as follows:

"[He is] Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He does not have a companion and He created all things? And He is, of all things, Knowing"(QS. Al An'aam, 6:101)

Deployment of the universe, one of the main areas of research of modern science, is revealed in this verse:

"And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander" (QS. Adz Dzaariyaat, 51:47)

As we have seen, two essential part of the explanation that the reference on the origins of the universe, namely the Big Bang and the expansion of the universe, preached in the Qur'an at a time when the means of astronomical observation is still very limited. This is clear proof that the Qur'an was revealed by God. The discoveries of recent science is completely consistent with what is preached in the Qur'an, and the studies once again this past draws attention to the suitability of this closely.


"Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne, arranging the matter [of His creation]. There is no intercessor except after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. Then will you not remember?" (Qs 10 : 3)

By: RATIH FITRIA PUTRI (Double Degree Master Programe MPPDAS UGM - Remote Sensing Chiba University,Japan)