Arctic Sea Ice Maximum Concentrations 1979-2006
This visualization shows the annual maximum amount of winter Arctic ice from 1979 to 2006. In 2005 and 2006, the winter ice maximum was about 6% smaller than the average winter ice over the 26 year period. The expected winter ice retreat is 1.5 to 2% loss per decade. The same data is also shown with a yellow region representing the cumulative or maximum extent of winter ice observed from 1979 to 2006.
Arctic sea ice maximum extent 1979-2006
Arctic sea ice maximum extent (1979-2006) with solid cumulative area in the background
![Date overlays 1979-2006 Date overlays 1979-2006](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Date overlays 1979-2006
Arctic sea ice maximum extent 1979-2006 with dates
Arctic sea ice maximum extent (1979-2006) with solid cumulative area in the background and with dates
![2006 Arctic sea ice maximum extent (10 March 2006) 2006 Arctic sea ice maximum extent (10 March 2006)](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
2006 Arctic sea ice maximum extent (10 March 2006)
![2006 Arctic sea ice maximum extent (10 March 2006) with solid cumulative area for 1979-2006 2006 Arctic sea ice maximum extent (10 March 2006) with solid cumulative area for 1979-2006](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
2006 Arctic sea ice maximum extent (10 March 2006) with solid cumulative area for 1979-2006
![2006 Arctic sea ice maximum extent (10 March 2006) with outline 2006 Arctic sea ice maximum extent (10 March 2006) with outline](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
2006 Arctic sea ice maximum extent (10 March 2006) with outline
![Sea ice cumulative maximum extent overlay outline for 1979-2006 Sea ice cumulative maximum extent overlay outline for 1979-2006](/static/svs/images/no_preview_web_black.png)
Sea ice cumulative maximum extent overlay outline for 1979-2006
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
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Animator
- Greg Shirah (NASA/GSFC)
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Scientist
- Josefino Comiso (NASA/GSFC)
Release date
This page was originally published on Wednesday, September 13, 2006.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:55 PM EDT.
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 -
Comiso's Yearly Maximum Sea Ice Concentration
ID: 541
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.