of course, fair point :-)

I am near certain that the actual Chinese satellite images are at a significantly higher resolution than those that they've provided to the rest of the world. They are, more than likely, reduced resolution versions so we are not aware of the actual satellite capabilities of the Chinese. It only makes sense . . .

My guess is that they've released these images based upon a detailed and thorough review of a much higher resolution satellite image. I don't think they would waste time and face embarrassment looking as incompetent as the Malaysians . . .

Possibility?
 

Here's an AD published last November. It "fits" this situation - loss of pressure + loss of SATCOM.
http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_asset...2014-05-03.pdf

Oil Rig Worker - Verified by ABC News Reporter
 

Bob Woodruff ABC News Reporter has verified the validity of Mike Mckay the oil rig worker and his witness account.


https://twitter.com/BobWoodruff/stat...26108513411072

Chinese image of seabed, not surface?
 

At 2203 Z today, FE Hoppy quoted Pixie:

Quote:
According to various news sources (CNN & Daily Mail) - the debris and oil slick is in the area initially searched after the crash and is floating.

If that's the case, why wasn't it noticed before?
Who did the search?

Now I'm uncertain this comment is referring to the Chinese satellite pix set (@3 wavelengths?)--may due info overload reading most of the posts. But it's in context to mean that.

Is it possible the grey Chinese pix images the seafloor at a shallow depth and not the surface as seems to be assumed generally? The background surrounding the object(s) suggests current ripples on a sandy seafloor. In addition, a windrow seems to have been plowed up in direction of flight-- assuming onward w/o deviation and north at top of pix-- just ahead of the objects.

At this time of year, the sun at local noon would have been within 15-deg of the zenith. Has the image captured a sunlight reflection off of aluminum surfaces, perhaps the tail? Due surface curvature, the reflections would be smaller than the entire surface. Is the water sufficiently clear and shallow that, with image enhancement, this could happen? Do the pix have an associated date and time (particularly time) stamp?

It is fairly well known that aerial images looking straight down can show a overview which shows with some clarity what cannot be seen at all from directly on the surface. And, of course, the non-significant debris found may have-- indeed probably was-- been not at or even very near the aerial reporting point.

Does anyone know what visual/infrared frequencies the Chinese satellite might have used, and if one might have some water penetration ability? Or is it possibly a radar reflection image... or even one such processed to determine seafloor contours by measuring the exact elevation of the sea surface due to the gravity effects of exactly how high the solid seabed is? We all know that the seafloor is now mapped by this gravity effect; I just don't know what precision can be obtained.

Obviously the pix are rendered in false color. Is it possible different types of return in one frequency can be rendered in a second color scale? Or superimposed from another pix frequency? FWIW

Location of the objects in the Chinese satellite pictures:

http://s27.postimg.org/p15z4qfr3/photo.jpg

Sea depth
 

Can we ascertain the ocean depth at the co-ordinates given by the Chinese satellite?

Not quite that specific, but yes. It could be pure coincidence that a short while after the 777 disappeared, the Malaysian military tracked something in level flight with no transponder ping crossing the peninsula on a track that potentially intersected the 777's last known location.

Water currents in the area
 

Using this animated map of the area you can pinpoint the reported position of the debris and see the relationship to the surface sea currents as of 7/3


earth :: an animated map of global wind and weather

You may also find they might have done some extra modifications to make sure that there can be no extrapolation from the reduced resolution images. so as to not infer what the true capabilities are, if that is even possible.

Maximum width you can get from a cylinder (excluding deformation) is its circumference (obtained by slicing along the long axis, then opening up flat).

Diameter is (I think) 6.19m, so circumference and hence max width of a piece of fuselage itself is 2 * pi * r = 19.45m

The Grauniad had this to say on today's news blog:

Whilst it is highly unlikely something sitting on top if the water would have been missed, the image could also depict a circular life raft tied to one or two escape slides.

A previous false alarm raised by aerial SAR was discovered to be logs tied together to form a pontoon.

Observations about images
 

I am not an aviation person, although I am a retired aerospace engineer having wored in satellite design many years.

I find it interesting that the dimensions of the three objects observed in the PRC images are approximately equal to the fuselage circumference. Just an observation as I have no idea how this could physically happen.

When enlarged, the object on the basically black and white image is quite interesting. On one end there is what appears to be four or five short pieces sticking out of the object which could be an indication it was torn from somehthing else. The other end of this object could be a distorted cockpit, the black areas being the windows.

Probably just more wild speculation, but it seems like it will fit right in with other comments on this thread. NOTE: There are some very intelligent and knowledgeable comments here, which I appreciate.

@SierraTango1 - Sea depth
 

Chart 93010

cross ref with:

View image: photo

looks like 35-50m, but that's not necessarily where the plane went down, just to where debris may have drifted.

https://www.airforce.gov.au/Technolo...j38sG4oMWiAMtQ

Almost, but not quite as far as Malaysia.

Jindalee Operational Radar Network - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Exactly and they probably wouldn't have even looked had in not been for the already mentioned incompetence of the Malaysian run effort.

New York Times notes in an article: Online and Onscreen, Disappeared Malaysian Flight Draws Intense Speculation

"Some of the most technically informed comments were posted on Professional Pilots Rumour Network, a Britain-based chat room that, despite its name, is widely read in the aviation world and is one of the few 'pilot chat room' sites that is not actually a matchmaking service."

If these are "some of the most technically informed comments," I'd hate to see those that are not... but at least the moderators are recognized for keeping the matchmakers out!

chinese satellite capability
 

So i guess the chinese where just merely waiting for the malaysians to come up with the answer. China does not want the whole world to know their technological capability. But pressure broke their silence... :=
I wonder what uncle sam is thinking now that they know that the chinese have these kinds of imaging capabilities.

Re Pressure, China getting pissed off with Malaysia and so releasing images to show how inept they are ?

Capabilities ? I think the US knows what they have !