operation with a focus on an otherwise overlooked part of the ocean. >> we're talking about billions of dollars to do this work. and obviously, if, if one wanted to do this from a scientific perspective, we would not get the funding. >> reporter: one potential obstacle for those looking for the plane, deep layers of silt at the bottom of the indian ocean could yield valuable new information for oceanographers. >> you can learn where it came from. what's the source of the sediment in that area. you learn something about the ocean bottom currents that move the sediment around. >> we're actually gathering information about the search environment all of the time. and that's factored into the analysis. >> reporter: while so much about flight 370 is shrouded in mystery, scientists hope to gain knowledge for the future. >> that was jean casarez reporting.