MH370 Search Area Backscatter Data: Southern Indian Ocean Seafloor at 30m Resolution

Geoscience Australia provided bathymetric and backscatter data to support the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's search for missing flight MH370. The dataset covers over 710,000 square kilometres of the Southern Indian Ocean, collected via multibeam sonar from June 2014 to February 2017. This backscatter data allows exploration of seafloor topography at a 30-meter resolution across the search and transit areas.

Use Cases

• Analyzing seafloor texture and composition based on backscatter intensity data.
• Mapping underwater topography for geological research based on the 30-meter resolution backscatter.
• Supporting planning for future underwater search or survey missions based on the mapped search area.

Strengths

• Covers over 710,000 square kilometres of the Southern Indian Ocean.
• Data was collected over a multi-year period from June 2014 to February 2017.
• Provides seafloor topography at a resolution of 30 meters.

Limitations

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

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Data acquired by multibeam sonar mounted on the hull of multiple vessels (GA survey references: GA-4421, GA-4422 & GA-4430).

Time Range

June 2014 to February 2017

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 03:44:57.858891; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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