MH370 Search Area Bathymetry and Hillshade at 150-Meter Resolution

Geoscience Australia provides bathymetric seafloor data and derived hillshade overlays from the MH370 search operations in the Southern Indian Ocean. The dataset covers over 710,000 square kilometers, collected via multibeam sonar surveys from June 2014 to February 2017. It offers a 150-meter resolution topographic map for analysis of the underwater search and transit corridors.

Use Cases

• Analyze seafloor topography variations using the 150-meter resolution bathymetry data for geological feature identification.
• Model underwater terrain with the derived hillshade overlay, created with a 45-degree azimuth and altitude illumination.
• Map survey coverage and transit lines across the 710,000 square kilometer area to plan marine research expeditions.
• Integrate bathymetry and hillshade layers for enhanced 3D visualization of the Southern Indian Ocean seafloor.

Strengths

• Covers an extensive area of over 710,000 square kilometers of seafloor data.
• Provides consistent 150-meter resolution for both bathymetry and derived hillshade data.
• Data collection spanned nearly three years, from June 2014 to February 2017, ensuring temporal coverage of the search operation.

Limitations

• Specific data structure (rows, columns, sample records) is unknown, complicating direct analytical use.
• Explicitly not intended for navigational purposes, limiting its application scope.
• The hillshade is generated with fixed illumination parameters (45-degree azimuth/altitude), which may not suit all analytical or visualization needs.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data, provided on behalf of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).

Collection Method

Bathymetric data acquired by multibeam sonar mounted on the hulls of multiple vessels (surveys GA-4421, GA 4422, GA-4430).

Time Range

June 2014 to February 2017.

Freshness

Last updated March 2026, indicating maintained metadata.

Geography

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