These are value-added fields derived from the longest time series of ice concentration available from passive microwave sea ice products, using either the Bootstrap or NASA Team algorithm. Monthly and annual basin averages of sea ice extent, sea ice concentration, extent anomalies, and concentration anomalies are produced along with time series and climatologies.
Sea Ice Index |
| Parameter: |
Ice extent, ice growth/melt, sea ice reflectance, sea ice concentration |
| Algorithm: |
NASA Team |
| Source: |
SSM/I F-8
SSM/I F-11, SSM/I F-13 |
Projection: |
Polar stereographic |
| Temporal Coverage: |
Ongoing since 1978 |
Temporal Resolution: |
Monthly |
| Spatial Coverage: |
North and South polar regions |
Spatial Resolution: |
25 km |
| Data Format: |
Data: ASCII text
Graphical summaries: JPEG |
- The Sea Ice Index consists of graphics showing trends and anomalies in monthly mean Arctic and Antarctic sea ice concentration and extent, with a table of monthly mean extent in millions of square km.
- This product is intended to help researchers illustrate sea ice conditions, and to inform users with general questions about recent ice concentration and extent.
- Advantages include monthly updates, and interactive plotting and image production.
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Sea Ice Trends and Climatologies from SMMR and SSM/I |
| Parameter: |
Sea ice extent, total ice-covered area, ice persistence, monthly mean ice concentration, ocean masks |
| Algorithm: |
NASA Team; Bootstrap |
| Source: |
SMMR, SSM/I F-8
SSM/I F-11, SSM/I F-13 |
Projection: |
Not applicable |
| Temporal Coverage: |
Ongoing since October 1978 |
Temporal Resolution: |
Daily, monthly |
| Spatial Coverage: |
North and South polar regions |
Spatial Resolution: |
Not applicable |
| Data Format: |
Data: ASCII text
Graphical summaries: GIF |
- Textual and graphical value-added products assist in investigations of variability and trends of sea ice cover.
- These products may not contain the most recent data; therefore, caution is suggested, particularly with the ocean masks and sea ice climatologies, since they may not be representative of ice cover conditions outside the time period used to produce the data.
- The combined
ESMR-SMMR-SSM/I product offers the longest continuous time
series (1973 to 2002), but has limited use and uses other
data to fill in data gaps in the satellite record.
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Passive Microwave