On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370), along with 239 passengers and crew, disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean. In an attempt to solve this mystery, the Australian government led a massive investigation consisting of a two-phase search of an area covering 120,000 square km, culminating in a final report that was released in July 2018. Though its results were inconclusive, this investigation yielded valuable data about the deep ocean floor, which previously had not been studied in great detail at such a large scale. Using the data gathered in their search, Geoscience Australia has produced "The data behind the search for MH370," a story map that narrates the scientific process of their search for MH370 and explains what the investigation brought to light, both about the flight and about the deep ocean floor. This story map presents images of deep ocean data visualization from before and after the MH370 investigation, brief videos showing 3D renderings of newly-revealed underwater geologic features, and explanations of the scientific significance of these findings. This interactive visual format will appeal to general audiences and to those interested in oceanography.
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