Shadoko:What it means?- that the Bluefin has only searched the areas within its operating limit?
or
- that all the area in the vicinity of pings was within its (upgraded) operating limit?
It was reported some time ago that the bluefin-21 was unable to scan it's entire assignment despite it's "upgraded" limit.
Consequently there maybe smaller areas that were not scanned, but bluefin-21 had done the majority of the area.
Recall that the AF scanning "missed" the major debris field, it was after WHOI (as a private contractor) was engaged that they located the field close to where it was expected almost a year earlier (and in an area that had been previously scanned)