High-Resolution Seafloor Bathymetry from MH370 Search Area

Over 279,000 square kilometers of high-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) data were acquired in the southeastern Indian Ocean to assist the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The dataset, provided by the Australian Ocean Data Network, offers the first large-scale MBES coverage of this remote region, revealing detailed seafloor geomorphology. Data collection was initiated following the aircraft's disappearance in March 2014.

Use Cases

• Validate and correct satellite-derived bathymetric models like SRTM15_plus by comparing depth estimates with MBES measurements, where 38% of satellite points disagree by over 100 meters.
• Map and quantify seafloor features such as seamounts, hills, mountains, knolls, fans, valleys, and pockmarks to update global geomorphic inventories, revealing four times more seamounts than previous maps.
• Analyze sedimentary processes by identifying mass transport features along the northern margin of Broken Ridge and pockmarks south of Diamantina Trench indicative of fluid discharge.
• Study tectonic evolution by examining preserved seafloor spreading fabric, including a large series of ridges covering approximately 20% of the mapped area and rifting along the Broken Ridge – Diamantina Escarpment.

Strengths

• Covers a vast area of over 279,000 square kilometers, providing unprecedented coverage for this remote ocean region.
• High-resolution data reveals fine-scale features like pockmarks and doubles the number of discrete geomorphic features mapped compared to coarser models.
• Enables quantitative comparison with global models, finding a 20% increase in the extent of hills and mountains over previous representations.

Limitations

• Spatial coverage is limited to the specific MH370 search area in the southeast Indian Ocean, not a global or regional systematic survey.
• The dataset's primary origin as a search operation may influence data collection patterns and density, potentially creating gaps in systematic scientific coverage.
• Raw data access and specific technical formats (beyond HTML summary) are not described, which may limit direct analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, collected as part of the search operation for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

Collection Method

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

Time Range

Data acquisition began after the aircraft disappearance on 8 March 2014.

Freshness

Data was acquired post-2014, with a record last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Southeastern Indian Ocean, specifically the MH370 search area.