MH370 Search Data: High-Resolution Seafloor Bathymetry of the Southeast Indian Ocean

A high-resolution multibeam echosounder dataset covering over 279,000 km² in the southeastern Indian Ocean, acquired to assist the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The data, provided by the Australian Ocean Data Network, offers the first large-scale coverage of its kind in this remote region and reveals detailed seafloor features. It was used to analyze geomorphic features and compare against global satellite-derived models, with findings last updated in 2026.

Use Cases

• Validate and compare satellite-derived bathymetric models based on high-resolution MBES measurements.
• Analyze seafloor geomorphology and geological processes based on mapped features like seamounts, ridges, and canyons.
• Study modern sedimentary processes and gas/fluid discharge based on identified mass transport features and pockmarks.
• Assess biodiversity hotspots by mapping high-relief seabed structures like seamounts and hills.

Strengths

• Covers over 279,000 km², providing extensive spatial coverage of a previously unmapped region.
• High-resolution data revealed four times more seamounts and a 20% increase in hills/mountains compared to prior global maps.
• Enables identification of fine-scale features like pockmarks and detailed analysis of seafloor spreading and rifting processes.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for certain analytical tasks.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Acquired via high-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) survey.

Time Range

Data acquisition was linked to the search for MH370, which disappeared on 8 March 2014.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-27 19:29:54.135655; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southeastern Indian Ocean, specifically the search area for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.