A newer version of this visualization is available.
Sea Ice Minimum Extent for 1979-2003
This visualization was created in support of the October 2003 Cryosphere Earth Science Update (ESU).
This animation shows the annual minimum sea ice extent and concentration for 24 years, from 1979 to 2003. The year 2002 showed lowest level of sea ice on record.
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1979 Sea ice minimum extent for 1979](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1979
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1980 Sea ice minimum extent for 1980](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1980
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1981 Sea ice minimum extent for 1981](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1981
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1982 Sea ice minimum extent for 1982](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1982
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1983 Sea ice minimum extent for 1983](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1983
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1984 Sea ice minimum extent for 1984](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1984
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1985 Sea ice minimum extent for 1985](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1985
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1986 Sea ice minimum extent for 1986](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1986
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1987 Sea ice minimum extent for 1987](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1987
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1988 Sea ice minimum extent for 1988](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1988
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1989 Sea ice minimum extent for 1989](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1989
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1990 Sea ice minimum extent for 1990](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1990
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1991 Sea ice minimum extent for 1991](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1991
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1992 Sea ice minimum extent for 1992](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1992
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1993 Sea ice minimum extent for 1993](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1993
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1994 Sea ice minimum extent for 1994](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1994
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1995 Sea ice minimum extent for 1995](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1995
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1996 Sea ice minimum extent for 1996](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1996
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1997 Sea ice minimum extent for 1997](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1997
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1998 Sea ice minimum extent for 1998](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1998
![Sea ice minimum extent for 1999 Sea ice minimum extent for 1999](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 1999
![Sea ice minimum extent for 2000 Sea ice minimum extent for 2000](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 2000
![Sea ice minimum extent for 2001 Sea ice minimum extent for 2001](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 2001
![Sea ice minimum extent for 2002 Sea ice minimum extent for 2002](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 2002
![Sea ice minimum extent for 2003 Sea ice minimum extent for 2003](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice minimum extent for 2003
For More Information
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Scientific Visualization Studio
The Blue Marble Next Generation data is courtesy of Reto Stockli (NASA/GSFC) and NASA's Earth Observatory.
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Animators
- Greg Shirah (NASA/GSFC)
- James W. Williams (Global Science and Technology, Inc.)
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Visualizer
- Cindy Starr (Global Science and Technology, Inc.)
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Scientist
- Josefino Comiso (NASA/GSFC)
Release date
This page was originally published on Friday, November 7, 2003.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:56 PM EDT.
Missions
This visualization is related to the following missions:Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Papers used in this visualization
A rapidly declining perennial sea ice cover in the Arctic, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 29, No. 20, October 2002.
A rapidly declining perennial sea ice cover in the Arctic, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 29, No. 20, October 2002.
Datasets used in this visualization
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[DMSP: SSM/I]
ID: 11Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Special Sensor Microwave Imager
See all pages that use this dataset -
[GTOPO30]
ID: 415 -
BMNG (Blue Marble: Next Generation) [Terra and Aqua: MODIS]
ID: 508Credit: The Blue Marble data is courtesy of Reto Stockli (NASA/GSFC).
This dataset can be found at: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/BlueMarble/
See all pages that use this dataset
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details, nor the data sets themselves on our site.