Arctic and Antarctic Sea Ice
Overview
Sea ice cover is a key indicator of the Earth's polar climate system.
See also these vital signs from climate.nasa.gov:
Recent Visualizations
- Section
Daily Arctic Sea Ice, By Year (Regularly Updated)
This visualization shows the daily Arctic sea ice and seasonal land cover change progressing through time, with a single frame rendered for each day (available from the drop-down of each image window), and an animation created from these frames. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) provides many water-related products derived from data acquired by the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) instrument aboard the Global Change Observation Mission 1st-Water "SHIZUKU" (GCOM-W1) satellite. Two JAXA datasets are used in this animation: the 10-km daily sea ice concentration and the 10 km daily 89 GHz Brightness Temperature. In this visualization sea ice changes from day to day, with the amount of ice shown being determined by the AMSR2 sea ice concentration data. A running 3-day minimum is used, with a minimum threshhold concentration of 15%. The blueish white color of the sea ice is derived from a 3-day running minimum of the AMSR2 89 GHz brightness temperature. Over the terrain, monthly data from the seasonal Blue Marble Next Generation fades slowly from month to month. The numerical portion of the frame filename begins with the four-digit year, followed by the three-digit day of the year for that frame.
- Visualization
Daily Arctic Sea Ice, By Year
This visualization shows the daily Arctic sea ice and seasonal land cover change progressing through time, with a single frame rendered for each day (available from the drop-down of each image window), and an animation created from these frames. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) provides many water-related products derived from data acquired by the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) instrument aboard the Global Change Observation Mission 1st-Water "SHIZUKU" (GCOM-W1) satellite. Two JAXA datasets are used in this animation: the 10-km daily sea ice concentration and the 10 km daily 89 GHz Brightness Temperature.In this visualization sea ice changes from day to day, with the amount of ice shown being determined by the AMSR2 sea ice concentration data. A running 3-day minimum is used, with a minimum threshhold concentration of 15%. The blueish white color of the sea ice is derived from a 3-day running minimum of the AMSR2 89 GHz brightness temperature. Over the terrain, monthly data from the seasonal Blue Marble Next Generation fades slowly from month to month.The numerical portion of the frame filename begins with the four-digit year, followed by the three-digit day of the year for that frame. ||
- Section
Annual Arctic Sea Ice Minimum Area 1979-2022
Satellite-based passive microwave images of the sea ice have provided a reliable tool for continuously monitoring changes in the Arctic ice since 1979. Every summer the Arctic ice cap melts down to what scientists call its "minimum" before colder weather begins to cause ice cover to increase. This graph displays the area of the minimum sea ice coverage each year from 1979 through 2021. In 2021, the Arctic minimum sea ice covered an area of 4.13 million square kilometers (1.6 million square miles). This visualization shows the expanse of the annual minimum Arctic sea ice for each year from 1979 through 2021 as derived from passive microwave data. A graph overlay shows the area in million square kilometers for each year's minimum day.
- Visualization
Global Snow Cover and Sea Ice Cycle at Both Poles
Visualization showing the changes in snow cover and sea ice with the seasons, for the years 2019-2021. || sea_ice_sidexside.0001_print.jpg (1024x576) [121.9 KB] || sea_ice_sidexside.0001_searchweb.png (320x180) [64.0 KB] || sea_ice_sidexside.0001_thm.png (80x40) [6.5 KB] || sea_ice_sidexside.0001_web.png (320x180) [64.0 KB] || sea_ice_sidexside_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [25.6 MB] || sea_ice_sidexside_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [7.1 MB] || frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/full_video/ (3840x2160) [128.0 KB] || sea_ice_sidexside_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [65.8 MB] ||
- Visualization
Arctic Sea Ice Maximum 2023
Arctic sea ice maximum, March 6, 2023 || sea_ice_max_2023_print.jpg (1024x576) [125.9 KB] || sea_ice_max_2023.png (3840x2160) [6.2 MB] || sea_ice_max_2023_searchweb.png (320x180) [73.5 KB] || sea_ice_max_2023_thm.png (80x40) [6.0 KB] ||
- Visualization
ICESat-2 Sea Ice Thickness 2022
A view of the Arctic Ocean with ICESat-2 monthly average sea ice thickness data from November 2018 to April 2021. Low values are depicted in light blue, and higher values (5 meters) are depicted in magenta. || sea_ice_thickness_2022.1000_print.jpg (1024x576) [159.6 KB] || sea_ice_thickness_2022.1000_searchweb.png (320x180) [74.6 KB] || sea_ice_thickness_2022.1000_thm.png (80x40) [6.1 KB] || sea_ice_thickness_2022_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [27.3 MB] || sea_ice_thickness_2022_1080p30.webm (1920x1080) [3.9 MB] || frames/5760x3240_16x9_30p/sea_ice_2022/ (5760x3240) [128.0 KB] || sea_ice_thickness_2022_2160p30.mp4 (3840x2160) [66.4 MB] ||
- Hyperwall Visual
GRACE and GRACE-FO polar ice mass loss
The mass of the Polar ice sheets have changed over the last decades. Research based on observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites (2002-2017) and GRACE Follow-On (since 2018 - ) indicates that between 2002 and 2023, Antarctica shed approximately 150 gigatons of ice per year, causing global sea level to rise by 0.4 millimeters per year; and Greenland shed approximately 270 gigatons of ice per year, causing global sea level to rise by 0.03 inches (0.8 millimeters) per year.These images, created from GRACE and GRACE-FO data, show changes in polar land ice mass since 2002. Orange and red shades indicate areas that lost ice mass, while light blue shades indicate areas that gained ice mass. White indicates areas where there has been very little or no change in ice mass since 2002.The average flow lines (grey; created from satellite radar interferometry) of the icesheets converge into the locations of prominent outlet glaciers, and coincide with areas of highest mass loss. This supports other observations that warming ocean waters near polar icesheets play a key role in contemporary ice mass loss. ||
- Visualization
Arctic Sea Ice Minimum 2021
Arctic Sea Ice Minimum 2021, Animation || sea_ice_2021_min_1080p60.02820_print.jpg (1024x576) [162.7 KB] || sea_ice_2021_min_1080p60.02820_searchweb.png (320x180) [82.1 KB] || sea_ice_2021_min_1080p60.02820_thm.png (80x40) [14.7 KB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_60p/ (1920x1080) [256.0 KB] || sea_ice_2021_min_1080p60.mp4 (1920x1080) [41.3 MB] || sea_ice_2021_min_1080p60.webm (1920x1080) [7.6 MB] ||
- Visualization
Antarctic Ocean Flows: an excerpt from Atlas of a Changing Earth (4k format)
This visualization shows how the ocean circulation in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica flows around and under the floating ice shelves and glaciers. The ocean flows are colored by temperature with blue indicating colder and red showing warmer currents. This version includes a title, credits, narration and music.This video is also available on our YouTube channel. || Antarctic_flows_2021_flat_HD_Audio.00310_print.jpg (1024x576) [81.9 KB] || Antarctic_flows_2021_flat_HD_Audio.mp4 (1920x1080) [286.8 MB] || Antarctic_flows_2021_flat_HD_Audio.webm (1920x1080) [16.4 MB] || Antarctic_flows_2021_flat_4k_Audio.mp4 (3840x2160) [1.1 GB] || Antarctic_flows_2021_flat_4k_Audio.en_US.srt [1.3 KB] || Antarctic_flows_2021_flat_4k_Audio.en_US.vtt [1.3 KB] ||
- Hyperwall Visual
Antarctic Ice Mass Loss 2002-2023
The mass of the Antarctic ice sheet has changed over the last decades. Research based on observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites (2002-2017) and GRACE Follow-On (since 2018 - ) indicates that between 2002 and 2023, Antarctica shed approximately 150 gigatons of ice per year, causing global sea level to rise by 0.4 millimeters per year. These images, created from GRACE and GRACE-FO data, show changes in Antarctic ice mass since 2002. Orange and red shades indicate areas that lost ice mass, while light blue shades indicate areas that gained ice mass. White indicates areas where there has been very little or no change in ice mass since 2002. Areas in East Antarctica experienced modest amounts of mass gain due to increased snow accumulation. However, this gain is more than offset by significant ice mass loss on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (dark red) over the 21-year period. Floating ice shelves whose mass change GRACE & GRACE-FO do not measure are colored gray. The average flow lines (grey; created from satellite radar interferometry) of Antarctica’s ice converge into the locations of prominent outlet glaciers, and coincide with areas of highest mass loss (i.e., Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers in West-Antarctica). This supports other observations that warming ocean waters around Antarctica play a key role in contemporary ice mass loss. ||
- Produced Video
2021 Arctic Sea Ice Maximum Extent Ranks Seventh-Lowest on Record
On March 21, 2021, Arctic sea ice reached its maximum extent, tying with 2007 for the seventh-lowest maximum on record. ||
- Hyperwall Visual
Greenland Ice Mass Loss 2002-2023
The mass of the Greenland ice sheet has rapidly declined in the last several years due to surface melting and iceberg calving. Research based on observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites (2002-2017) and GRACE Follow-On (since 2018 - ) indicates that between 2002 and 2023, Greenland shed approximately 270 gigatons of ice per year, causing global sea level to rise by 0.03 inches (0.8 millimeters) per year. These images, created from GRACE and GRACE-FO data, show changes in Greenland ice mass since 2002. Orange and red shades indicate areas that lost ice mass, while light blue shades indicate areas that gained ice mass. White indicates areas where there has been very little or no change in ice mass since 2002. In general, higher-elevation areas near the center of Greenland experienced little to no change, while lower-elevation and coastal areas experienced over 20 feet (6 meters) of ice mass loss (expressed in equivalent-water-height; dark red) over this 21-year period. The largest mass decreases occurred along the West Greenland coast. The average flow lines (grey; created from satellite radar interferometry) of Greenland’s ice converge into the locations of prominent outlet glaciers, and coincide with areas of highest mass loss. This supports other observations that warming ocean waters around Greenland play a key role in contemporary ice mass loss. ||
- Visualization
Greenland Ice Sheet: Three Futures
This movie shows the evolution of several regions of the Greenland Ice Sheet between 2008 and 2300 based on three different climate scenarios. Each scenario reflects a potential future climate outcome based on current and future greenhouse gas emmisions. The regions shown in a violet color are exposed areas of the Greenland bed that were covered by the ice sheet in 2008. || Greenland_NE_2008_2300_HD_still.2127.jpg (1920x1080) [1.0 MB] || Greenland_NE_2008_2300_HD_still.2127_print.jpg (1024x576) [159.2 KB] || Greenland_NE_2008_2300_HD_still.2127_searchweb.png (320x180) [81.1 KB] || Greenland_NE_2008_2300_HD_still.2127_thm.png (80x40) [7.1 KB] || GreenlandVizV5.mp4 (1920x1080) [181.9 MB] || GreenlandVizV5.webm (1920x1080) [19.7 MB] || Greenland_NE_2008_2300_HD_still.2127.tif (1920x1080) [2.0 MB] || GreenlandViz_FINAL.mov (1920x1080) [5.8 GB] ||
- Produced Video
Arctic Sea Ice Conceptual Animation
Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean. Some sea ice is permanent, persisting from year to year, and some is seasonal, melting and refreezing from season to season. Each winter existing sea ice thickens and new, thinner ice is formed. This conceptual animation shows a cut-away view of the seasonal advance and retreat of Arctic sea ice, demonstrating the current trend toward a thinning ice pack, with less of the thicker multi-year ice surviving each summer's melt. || seaIce_therm_30fps.00002_print.jpg (1024x576) [81.8 KB] || seaIce_therm_30fps_web.png (320x180) [212.7 KB] || seaIce_therm_30fps_thm.png (80x40) [16.6 KB] || seaIce_therm_30fps.webmhd.webm (960x540) [9.3 MB] || seaIce_therm_30fps.mov (1280x720) [169.8 MB] ||
Older live shots, photos, interviews, and broll
- Link
Varied sea ice
Sea ice can take many forms, as seen in this image of Arctic sea ice from the DMS instrument from a recent Operation IceBridge aerial survey. Varying thicknesses of sea ice are shown here, from thin, nearly transparent layers to thicker, older sea ice covered with snow.
Go to this link - Link
East Coast of Greenland Terra MODIS Aug. 17, 2012
Sea ice swirls in ocean currents off the east coast of Greenland on Aug. 17, 2012, as seen by the MODIS instrument on board the Terra satellite. Greenland's ice sheet and outlet glaciers can also be seen at left.
Go to this link Arctic sea ice live shots 2013
Go to this pageOn Friday August 23, 2013, scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center talked to television stations from around the country about the Arctic and the changes taking place to sea ice in this region. See below for interviews in English with Tom Wagner and Walt Meier, an interview in Spanish with Carlos del Castillo, and footage and data visualizations of sea ice.For more information please click here. ||