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

A high-resolution multibeam echosounder dataset covering over 279,000 km² of 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 them against global satellite-derived models.

Use Cases

• Comparing satellite-derived bathymetry models with high-resolution measurements based on the reported 38% disagreement rate.
• Mapping and classifying seafloor features like seamounts, ridges, and canyons based on the detailed geomorphic analysis described.
• Studying modern sedimentary processes such as sediment mass transport and gas discharge indicated by features like pockmarks.
• Analyzing seafloor spreading and rifting processes based on the identified ridge series and rift blocks.

Strengths

• Covers a vast area of over 279,000 km², providing unprecedented coverage for the region.
• Reveals four times more seamounts and a 20% increase in hills/mountains compared to the global satellite-derived map.
• Enables identification of fine-scale features like pockmarks, doubling the number of discrete features mapped.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for specific 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 2026-05-04 23:20:08.832931; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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