Product catalogue
New Insights into the geodiversity of the southeast Indian Ocean seafloor revealed by Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 search data
A large multibeam echo sounder (MBES) dataset (710, 000 km2, inclusive of transit data) was acquired in the SE Indian Ocean to assist the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370). Here, we present the results of a geomorphic analysis of this new data and compare with the Global Seafloor Geomorphic Features Map (GSFM) that is based on coarser resolution satellite-derived bathymetry data. The analyses show that abyssal plains and basins are significantly more rugged than their representation in the GSFM, with a 20% increase in the extent of hills and mountains. The new model also reveals four times more seamounts than presented in the GSFM, suggesting a greater number of these features than previously estimated for the broader region and indeed globally. This is important considering the potential ecological significance of these high-relief structures. Analyses of the new data also enabled knolls, fans, valleys, canyons, troughs and holes to be identified, doubling the number of discrete features mapped and revealing the true geodiversity of the deep ocean in this area.
This high-resolution mapping of the seafloor also provides new insights into the geological evolution of the region, both in terms of structural, tectonic, and sedimentary processes. For example, sub-parallel ridges extend over approximately 20% of the area mapped and their form and alignment provide valuable insight into Southeast Indian Ridge seafloor spreading processes. Rifting is recorded along the Broken Ridge – Diamantina Escarpment, with rift blocks and well-bedded sedimentary bedrock exposures discernible down to 2,400 m water depth. Ocean floor sedimentary processes are represented in sediment mass transport features, especially along and north of Broken Ridge, and pockmarks (the finest-scale features mapped) south of Diamantina Trench.
The new MBES data highlight the complexity of the search area and serve to demonstrate how little we know about the 85-90% of the ocean floor that has not been mapped with this technology. The availability of high-resolution and accurate maps of the ocean floor can clearly provide new insights into the Earth’s geological evolution, modern ocean floor processes, and the location of sites that are likely to have relatively high biodiversity.
Poster presented the 2017 American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting
Simple
Identification info
- Date (Creation)
- 2017-11-30T00:00:00
- Date (Publication)
- 2024-04-18T04:52:38
- Citation identifier
- Geoscience Australia Persistent Identifier/https://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/115143
- Cited responsible party
-
Role Organisation / Individual Name Details Author Picard, K.
Place and Communities Internal Contact Author Brooke, B.
Place and Communities Internal Contact Author Harris, P.T.
External Contact Author Siwabessy, J.
Place and Communities Internal Contact Author Coffin, M.F.
External Contact Author Tran, M.
External Contact Author Spinoccia, M.
Place and Communities Internal Contact Author Weales, J.
Place and Communities Internal Contact Author MacMillan-Lawler, M.
External Contact Author Sullivan, J.
Place and Communities Internal Contact Publisher Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)
Voice
- Name
-
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 11-15 December 2017 New Orleans, Louisiana
- Purpose
-
Abstract presented the 2017 American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting
- Status
- Completed
- Point of contact
-
Role Organisation / Individual Name Details Point of contact Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)
Voice Resource provider Place and Communities Division
External Contact Point of contact Brooke, B.
Place and Communities Internal Contact
- Spatial representation type
- Topic category
-
- Geoscientific information
Extent
Extent
))
- Maintenance and update frequency
- Not planned
Resource format
- Title
-
Product data repository: Various Formats
- Website
-
Data Store directory containing the digital product files
Data Store directory containing one or more files, possibly in a variety of formats, accessible to Geoscience Australia staff only for internal purposes
- theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf
-
-
EARTH SCIENCES
-
- Instrument
-
-
multibeam
-
- Discipline
-
-
geomorphology
-
- Place
-
-
Indian Ocean
-
- Process
-
-
seafloor processes
-
- Keywords
-
-
Published_External
-
Resource constraints
- Title
-
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
- Alternate title
-
CC-BY
- Edition
-
4.0
- Access constraints
- License
- Use constraints
- License
- Other constraints
-
© Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia) 2017
Resource constraints
- Classification
- Unclassified
Associated resource
- Association Type
- Was informed by
- Title
-
New insights into the geodiversity of the southeast Indian Ocean seafloor revealed by Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 search data
- Citation identifier
- 112124
- Citation identifier
- d63055f2-b56b-46fe-a0b9-e17e7186629d
- Language
- English
- Character encoding
- UTF8
Distribution Information
- Distributor contact
-
Role Organisation / Individual Name Details Distributor Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)
Voice facsimile
- OnLine resource
-
Link to Conference Page
Link to Conference Page
- Distribution format
-
- OnLine resource
-
Link to Poster
Link to Poster
- Distribution format
-
Resource lineage
- Statement
-
Abstract presented the 2017 American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting
- Hierarchy level
- Product
Metadata constraints
- Classification
- Unclassified
Metadata
- Metadata identifier
-
urn:uuid/497f7ae9-a5f1-4c9c-b590-7c76c9977533
- Title
-
GeoNetwork UUID
- Contact
-
Role Organisation / Individual Name Details Point of contact Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)
Voice Owner Brooke, B.
Place and Communities Internal Contact Point of contact Brooke, B.
Place and Communities Internal Contact
Type of resource
- Resource scope
- Document
- Name
-
Conference Abstract
Alternative metadata reference
- Title
-
Geoscience Australia - short identifier for metadata record with
uuid
- Citation identifier
- eCatId/115143
- Metadata linkage
-
https://internal.ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/search?uuid=497f7ae9-a5f1-4c9c-b590-7c76c9977533
Point-of-truth metadata URL
- Date info (Creation)
- 2017-11-30T00:07:48
- Date info (Revision)
- 2017-11-30T00:30:07
Metadata standard
- Title
-
AU/NZS ISO 19115-1:2014
Metadata standard
- Title
-
ISO 19115-1:2014
Metadata standard
- Title
-
ISO 19115-3 (Draft Schemas 2015)
- Edition date
- 2015-07-01T00:00:00
- Title
-
Geoscience Australia Community Metadata Profile of ISO 19115-1:2014
- Edition
-
Version 2.0, April 2015