Hyperveloce;
The Prior using 70% FD and based on MAK/IAC data does seem rather misplaced. The descents used were, in the majority, of high rate and short period, and do not equate well to the facts associated with AF447 as we know them.
The Metron Report contains a good number of "assumptions" (IMO) and some I find rather difficult to swallow. Firstly, I noted that areas initially grid searched from the air by the FAB have been 'de-rated' for the reason that Metron were unable to obtain details on the manner in which the searches were conducted.
Bearing in mind that the BEA had commissioned Metron to undertake their analysis, it seems problematic that data essential to the work could not be accessed. I likewise have reservations about the initial air searches, and have posited my opinion to that effect in previous posts along the lines that the FAB's media arm often portrayed operations that didn't take place.
Some discussion takes place as to the survival of one or both ULBs based on the relative closeness of their individual locations. Metron then goes on to state,
It is not known if any other debris from this location was also recovered, and what its condition might have been.
Surely, that information was available to them and could have been provided by the BEA. There is nothing I have seen, through published information or otherwise, that leads me to believe that the ULBs suffered some gross 'g' forces the remainder of the aircraft didn't.
The comment regarding the SNA Emeraude's sonar is not helpful, and after other performances by the French Navy, is not unexpected.
So based simply on the fact that nothing was positively identified in all the areas searched around the LKP, the probability of the aircraft being closer to the LKP is the likely outcome of this analysis. You will note there is no bias in any direction, but just the red blob within 20NM of LKP.
Finally, its not my intention to rubbish the Metron Report, but rather to highlight some debatable points.
SaturnV;
I've got the distinct impression that images of possible debris will turn out to be nothing more than items jettisoned from a passing ship. The one on the left looks like it could be a heavy wire-rope strop containing spliced eyes at each end.
I would expect the sidescan sonar to reveal traces of the major structural items, hull, wings etc.. and jettisoned debris would then be mapped in the vicinity.