Can Underwater Sound Signals Solve Aviation’s Greatest Mystery?

Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board. Despite extensive search efforts, the final location of the aircraft remains unknown. It has become one of aviation’s greatest mysteries.

Search efforts have been ongoing for years

Our new research explores the possibility of detecting underwater acoustic signals generated by aircraft crashes, such as MH370’s presumed impact, to provide new insights into its fate.

Acoustic Analysis

Hydrophones are underwater microphones that capture sound waves and pressure changes in the ocean. Such technology has shown promise in detecting pressure signals from various events, including aircraft crashes. These types of signals can travel thousands of kilometers, making hydrophones a valuable tool for identifying and classifying events in marine environments.

A hydrophone, an underwater microphone

For our study, we analyzed data from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization’s (CTBTO) hydroacoustic stations. We focused on data from stations at Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia and Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean.

The Search for MH370

Flight MH370 was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it vanished from radar screens. Official investigations suggest it deviated from its planned route, heading southwest over the Indian Ocean. Despite multinational search efforts, including extensive underwater searches along and near the so-called “seventh arc” (the area determined by last communication between the satellite and the plane), the main wreckage has not been found.

The seventh arc, the area determined by last communication between the satellite and the plane

Only a few pieces of debris washed ashore on western Indian Ocean islands have been confirmed as belonging to MH370. This has left families of the passengers, search teams, and the world grappling with unanswered questions.

Controlled Explosions

To help resolve the debate about the detectability of the acoustic signal from MH370, a practical approach could be to conduct controlled explosions along the seventh arc, similar to those done for the ARA San Juan submarine.

The ARA San Juan submarine

On November 15, 2017, the ARA San Juan, operated by the Argentine Navy, went missing during an exercise mission. A few hours later, an unusual signal was recorded by CTBTO stations. To help with the search, an air-dropped calibration grenade drop was conducted two weeks later near the last known location.

A calibration grenade, similar to the unusual signal that radiated from the submarine implosion

The submarine was found a year later with all 44 crew members lost.

Conclusion

While our research does not pinpoint MH370’s exact crash location, it highlights the potential of hydroacoustic technology in solving this aviation mystery. By refining our methods and conducting further experiments, we could provide new insights into MH370’s fate and improve our response to future maritime incidents.

Hydroacoustic technology, a valuable tool for identifying and classifying events in marine environments

The ongoing efforts to locate MH370 not only seek to bring closure to the families affected but also to enhance our ability to track and understand aviation accidents over vast oceanic expanses.