This revised description, excluding Bentley Subglacial Trench and smaller basins to the south of Flood Range and the Ford Ranges, follows delineation of the region by the Scott Polar Research Institute–National Science Foundation–Technical University of Denmark airborne radio echo sounding program, 1967–79.
On March 8, 2013, the British Antarctic Survey reported on the creation of Bedmap2, the most detailed map of Antarctica's landmass to date.
It showed for the first time the true depth of Byrd Subglacial Basin: 2,870 meters below sea level.
This makes Byrd Subglacial Basin the lowest point on any of the Earth's continental plates.
[1] However, because of the glacier sitting on the basin, this point is ultimately unreachable.