Chinese researchers develop ocean terrain maps up to five times more accurate than global models

More than two decades of effort sees Chinese researchers develop maps of ocean terrain up to five times more accurate than global models

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Zhang Tongin Beijing

Published: 10:00am, 31 Aug 2026Updated: 11:06am, 31 Aug 2026

China has mapped the seabed of its claimed waters including the South China Sea, with twice the resolution and up to five times the accuracy of methods used by other countries after more than two decades of effort, according to scientists involved in the project.

The importance of such work was underscored in October 2021, when the US Navy’s Seawolf-class nuclear submarine USS Connecticut struck an uncharted seamount while submerged in the South China Sea. The collision grounded the vessel and injured 11 crew members.

A subsequent investigation blamed poor voyage planning by the officers on watch, who failed to heed sonar warnings that did not match their charts.

Had detailed topographic data for that area been available, the billion-dollar advanced submarine might well have avoided its mishap.

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Beneath the ocean surface lies a landscape as rugged as any mountain range on land. Knowing the outline of that terrain is vital not only for covert military operations and seabed mineral development, but also for research into ocean currents and earthquakes.