MH370 Bathymetry: 150m Resolution Seafloor Maps of the Southern Indian Ocean

Geoscience Australia provided bathymetric data to support the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's search for missing flight MH370. Over 710,000 square kilometres of seafloor data were collected via multibeam sonar from June 2014 to February 2017. The dataset allows exploration of seafloor topography at a 150-meter resolution across the search and transit areas.

Use Cases

• Analyze seafloor topography and geomorphology based on 150-meter resolution bathymetry data.
• Create visualizations and maps of the ocean floor based on the provided hillshade layer.
• Study the bathymetric features of the Southern Indian Ocean search area for geological research.
• Support maritime search and rescue planning by providing detailed seafloor navigation data.

Strengths

• Covers over 710,000 square kilometres of data in the search and transit areas.
• Provides a detailed 150-meter resolution map of seafloor topography.
• Data collection spanned a significant period from June 2014 to February 2017.
• Includes a hillshade layer created from the bathymetry data for enhanced visualization.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The dataset is explicitly not to be used for navigational purposes.
• Row count and specific file sizes are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, on behalf of Geoscience Australia and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Collection Method

Bathymetric data acquired by multibeam sonar mounted on the hull of multiple vessels.

Time Range

June 2014 to February 2017

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 09:29:59.330584; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southern Indian Ocean, specifically the MH370 search area and transit lines.