MH370 Search Phase 2 High-Resolution Sonar Backscatter Imagery

Phase 2 of the search for missing flight MH370 collected 5-meter resolution sonar imagery of the Southern Indian Ocean seafloor. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau led the operation, with data gathered by autonomous and towed sonar systems from multiple vessels between September 2014 and January 2017. Governments of Australia, Malaysia, and China collaborated on the marine surveys.

Use Cases

• Detect anomalies or objects on the seafloor using Side Scan Sonar (SSS) and Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) backscatter intensity patterns.
• Create high-resolution bathymetric maps by integrating multibeam sonar backscatter data for ocean navigation and geological studies.
• Train machine learning models for automated seabed texture classification using the 5-meter resolution sonar imagery.
• Analyze temporal changes in seafloor features by comparing sonar backscatter data collected across the multi-year survey period.
• Correlate sonar backscatter values with seafloor material types (e.g., rock, sediment) for geological mapping of the search area.

Strengths

• Data collected at high 5-meter resolution across multiple sonar modalities (SSS, SAS, multibeam).
• Surveys conducted over a substantial multi-year period from September 2014 to January 2017.
• Deployment of multiple advanced sonar platforms including Kongsberg AUV Hugin 1000 and SLH PS-60 SAS.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and total area coverage are not provided.
• Data is restricted to the specific search corridor in the Southern Indian Ocean, limiting geographic generalizability.
• The dataset's primary purpose was search and rescue, which may influence data collection patterns and completeness.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, on behalf of the Governments of Australia, Malaysia, and China.

Collection Method

Collected via marine surveys using Echo Surveyor 7 (Kongsberg AUV Hugin 1000), Edgetech 2400 Deep Tow, and SLH PS-60 Synthetic Aperture Sonar Deep Tow deployed from vessels including Fugro Supporter and Go Phoenix.

Time Range

September 2014 to January 2017.

Freshness

Data collection ended in January 2017; metadata was last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Southern Indian Ocean, along the MH370 Phase 2 search corridor.