Haven't some researchers used Synthetic Aperture Radar on remote sensing platforms in order to find ancient trade routes buried under several meters of sand? I'm guessing a something similar was used here. I have a few friends that work in the remote sensing field. I'll have to send this to them to find out what sort of imagry could have been used.

kws, memphis,

The article doesn't claim he used the satellites themselves to examine the area. He used standard images fed them into software that uses either an algorithm or a light emitter of those frequencies to analyse the photograph. It was not clear which is used but it was clear that it used normal images obtained from satellites and "aerial" photos. Most likely in the form of the flybys that are common with google earth imagery today.

PX, La Salle,

This is nonsense: I work in the earth observation satellite industry and there are no ultraviolet or x-ray sensors on earth observation satellites (for obvious reasons - the earth does not emit x-rays, and UV is absorbed by the atmosphere.). Optical sensors can see at most a few metres into clear water. At infrared wavelengths water is black and opaque. "Light passes through matter"? Doesn't The Times have a science correspondent?

Grant Thompson, Rome,

Apparently there is some dispute about this...

"In June 2007, British maritime researcher Timothy Akers a former employee of David Mearns, claimed to have located the wreck of the Sydney along with other wrecks from a Japanese Battle Group in the vicinity, using high quality satellite imagery he purchased.[2] However, this claim has been disputed, and Ted Graham, the chairman of the Perth-based volunteer company HMAS Sydney Search, has dismissed the possibility the wreck can be located using satellite imagery.[3]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Sydney_%281934%29

Jon, Ventura, CA, USA

Unfortunately the ocean isn't 16,000 metres deep.

Also, light doesn't go through matter in many cases. In particular, UV and x-ray don't penetrate the atmosphere, never mind water or solid ground. Infrared is absorbed in water even before red light and anyone who scuba dives knows how quickly red light disappears with depth.

Robb, Calgary, Canada

From a Physics standpoint, this is feasible. But those have got to be some pretty high-resolution photographs, and you'd need them across the spectrum, from Infra-red to visible to UV, and then you'd need to aggregate them. A good comparison of what's probably being done here is the new fad of HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography. Google it and you'll see that multiple exposures of different visible wavelengths will get you better detail, and, in some cases, reveal things you wouldn't see otherwise.

Phillip, New York City, US

Also, Chris, I'm thinking he would have meant observations in the x-ray spectrum?

Phillip, New York City, US

What is quite unusual is that it seems to imply that X-ray data can be provided from satellite photos! Also that features as small as a deck gun can be distinguished from orbit with no smaller than 1m^2 pixels and then also through 100s of m of Indian Ocean water.

Such claims are fishy at best!

Diver, Gualala, CA/USA

Umm, as a member of the satellite imaging and analysis industry, I call BS. I'm not aware of any orbital or aerial platform that images with X-Rays. And I'd be _really_ surprised if you could get anything from a surface image that would tell you anything about what was on the seabed two miles down.

Anyone can make wild claims. Let's see the proof

Chris Hanson, Evergreen, CO, USA

What so unusual about it? Happen all the time in wars. Ship get sink. Sailors become fish food if they are not found. The Ocean is a large place to be in.

Ocean, Ocean, Ocean

lots of shipping calamities have no survivors, the ocean ranger disaster is a god example... modern technology and one of the largest floating structures of all time, and not a single man survived.... the ocean is killer and always will be, it is a force that is to not underestimated!! it was war time as well, im pretty sure that the commander of that german vessel had better things to worry about then fishing out prisoners.... stranger things have happened.

Canadian Bacon, edmonton, canada

Wow...I expect he will be off soon to hunt for 'buried' treasure. A fantastic invention

victor arram, westclff on sea, uk

Further investigation would be worthwhile if there is a possibility of realy finding this Australian warship. I have often wondered how a large warship like this with the whole crew could vanish. Is there more to the situation than haas been revealed.

A close fought battle happened yet not one sailor from the Australian ship survived. A bit unusual to say the least.

Colin Allison, Welington, New Zealand.

This article is useless without pics

John C, Kalamazoo, Michigan