High-Resolution Seafloor Bathymetry from MH370 Search Area

Over 279,000 square kilometers of high-resolution multibeam echosounder data were collected in the remote southeast Indian Ocean during the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The dataset, acquired by the Australian Ocean Data Network, provides the first large-scale coverage of this region and reveals previously unmapped seafloor features. This data significantly improves upon coarser satellite-derived models, with over 38% of satellite depth estimates differing by more than 100 meters.

Use Cases

• Comparing MBES bathymetric measurements against SRTM15_plus satellite-derived depth estimates to assess vertical uncertainty.
• Identifying and cataloging seafloor features like seamounts, knolls, fans, valleys, canyons, and pockmarks from the bathymetric model.
• Analyzing the extent and characteristics of abyssal plains, hills, and mountains to update global seafloor geomorphic maps.
• Studying sediment mass transport features and pockmark distributions to understand modern sedimentary and fluid discharge processes.
• Mapping rift blocks and bedrock outcrops along the Broken Ridge – Diamantina Escarpment to investigate rifting and seafloor spreading history.

Strengths

• Covers over 279,000 square kilometers, providing extensive spatial coverage.
• Reveals four times more seamounts and a 20% increase in hills/mountains compared to prior global maps.
• Enables identification of fine-scale features like pockmarks, documenting modern seafloor processes.

Limitations

• Dataset size, row count, and specific file formats are unknown.
• The geographic scope is limited to the specific MH370 search area in the southeast Indian Ocean.
• The license and terms of use for the data are unspecified.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Acquired via high-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) surveys conducted for the MH370 search operation.

Time Range

Data collection was initiated after the aircraft's disappearance on 8 March 2014.

Freshness

null

Geography

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