SteamChicken: I doubt we will ever know many details about the Émeraude's data and collection methods: how they code location/depth/speed of the sub and other data within or alongside an acquired signal (like SMPTE time codes to sync audio to video/film frames); when/if analog/digital conversion takes place; what and what types of filters are in place, etc. etc. Maybe somebody simply threw the wrong mag tape into his briefcase before getting on the plane, and caused some confusion. Whatever the details, it seems the Navy is rightly pissed that after a great deal of post-processing work, they proposed several search areas that were blown off by the BEA. Would be nice if folks could get on the same page and move forward. Who is leading this effort, anyway? Seems in an earlier post here it was remarked that the fellow hasn't been heard from since... In another part of the ocean, BP's CEO is visibly on the front line, despite the heat.
GB