Bathymetric Survey Data From MH370 Search Area

Bathymetric data of the sea floor on the western margin of Western Australia, gathered by Geoscience Australia and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Multibeam sonar surveys were conducted to create detailed, high-resolution maps of previously uncharted seabed terrain for the MH370 underwater search. The dataset was published by the Australian Ocean Data Network and last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze sea floor depth measurements from multibeam sonar for nautical charting.
• Identify and classify seabed features like ridges or canyons revealed by high-resolution survey data.
• Model underwater terrain visualizations for safety planning of submersible operations.
• Study the bathymetry of the southern Indian Ocean margin for geological research.

Strengths

• High-resolution data gathered via dedicated multibeam sonar surveys.
• Revealed many seabed features in the search area for the first time.

Limitations

• Specific row count, column names, and file size are unknown.
• Data is presented as an HTML visualization, limiting direct quantitative analysis.
• Geographic scope is limited to the specific MH370 search area in the southern Indian Ocean.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, based on work by Geoscience Australia and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Collection Method

Multibeam sonar scanning from survey vessels.

Time Range

Surveys conducted during the MH370 search operation (timeframe unspecified).

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Western margin of Western Australia, southern Indian Ocean, specifically the MH370 search area.