AMSR2 2018 Minimum Arctic Sea Ice Extent

Credits

• Visualizers

  • Trent L. Schindler (USRA) [Lead]
  • Cindy Starr (Global Science and Technology, Inc.)
  • Helen-Nicole Kostis (USRA)

• Producer

  • Kathryn Mersmann (KBR Wyle Services, LLC) [Lead]

• Project support

  • Ian Jones (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
  • Laurence Schuler (ADNET Systems, Inc.)

• Sr. data analyst

  • Robert Gersten (SGT)

Related Pages

• Related

  • 

    ID: 3372 Visualization

    Loop of AMSR-E Daily Arctic Sea Ice from Aug 2005 to Aug 2006

    Sept. 30th, 2006
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    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. Sea ice is almost always in motion, reacting to ocean currents and to winds. The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite acquires high resolution measurements of the 89 GHz brightness temperature near the poles. Because this is a passive microwave sensor and independent of atmospheric effects, this sensor is able to observe the entire polar region every day, even through clouds and snowfalls. This animation of AMSR-E 89 GHz brightness temperature in the northern hemisphere during late 2005 and early 2006 clearly shows the dynamic motion of the ice as well as its seasonal expansion and contraction. This animation shows the seasonal advance and retreat of sea ice over the Arctic from 8/5/2005 through 8/4/2006. The false color of the sea ice, derived from the AMSR-E 6.25 km 89 GHz brightness temperature, highlights the fissures in the sea ice by showing warmer areas of ice in a deeper blue and colder areas of sea ice in a brighter white. The sea ice extent is defined by a three-day moving average of the AMSR-E 12.5 km sea ice concentration, showing as ice all areas having a sea ice concentration greater than 15%. ||

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  • 

    ID: 3368 Visualization

    Annual Sea Ice Cycle over Northern Canada

    Sept. 13th, 2006
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Over the course of a year, sea ice in northern Canada pulsates down into the Hudson Bay and retreats northward in the summer months. In the winter months where the sea ice extends down into the bay, polar bears wander onto the ice in search of food. As summer approaches and the sea ice melts, the bears wander back onto the mainland until the next winter. Data for this animation was gathered from the Aqua satellite's Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E). Aqua is a NASA satellite and the AMSR-E instrument onboard was provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). For more information on this story, please visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2006/polar_bears.html ||

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  • 

    ID: 3333 Visualization

    2005 Sea Ice over the Arctic derived from AMSR-E

    Jan. 30th, 2006
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    This animation shows the Spring retreat and subsequent Autumn advance of sea ice over the Arctic from 1/1/2005 through 12/31/2005. The false color of the sea ice, derived from the AMSR-E 6.25 km brightness temperature, was designed to highlight the fissures in the sea ice. Moving 3-day minimum brightness temperatures provide a background for smooth ice movement over which the actual daily brightness temperatures were mapped for definition of the ice structures. The sea ice extent was defined by a 3-day moving average of the AMSR-E 12.5 km sea ice concentration, showing as ice all areas having a sea ice concentration greater than 15%. ||

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• Newer Versions

  • 

    ID: 5162 Visualization

    Arctic Sea Ice Minimum 2023

    Sept. 25th, 2023
    (updated Nov. 29th, 2023)

    Animation of Arctic sea ice maximum extent, March 6 2023, to its minimum, September 19, 2023 || arctic_sea_ice_2023_min_2160p60.2820_print.jpg (1024x576) [138.6 KB] || frames/3840x2160_16x9_60p/arctic_sea_ice_min_2023/ (3840x2160) [256.0 KB] || arctic_sea_ice_2023_min_2160p60_p60.mp4 (3840x2160) [107.4 MB] ||

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  • 

    ID: 5030 Visualization

    Arctic Sea Ice Minimum 2022

    Sept. 22nd, 2022
    (updated Nov. 26th, 2023)

    Arctic Sea Ice Minimum 2022, Animation || sea_ice_2022_min_1080p60.03100_print.jpg (1024x576) [125.6 KB] || sea_ice_2022_min_1080p60.03100_searchweb.png (320x180) [71.7 KB] || sea_ice_2022_min_1080p60.03100_thm.png (80x40) [6.2 KB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_60p/full/ (1920x1080) [256.0 KB] || sea_ice_2022_min_1080p60.mp4 (1920x1080) [31.1 MB] || sea_ice_2022_min_1080p60.webm (1920x1080) [7.1 MB] ||

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• Older Versions

  • 

    ID: 4215 Visualization

    North Polar Sea Ice Minimum, 2014

    Sept. 22nd, 2014
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Sea ice acts as an air conditioner for the planet, reflecting energy from the Sun. On September 17, the Arctic Sea ice reached its minimum extent for 2014 — at 1.94 million square miles (5.02 million square kilometers), it’s the sixth lowest extent of the satellite record. With warmer temperatures and thinner, less resilient ice, the Arctic sea ice is on a downward trend. The red line in the still image indicates the average ice extent over the 30 year period between 1981 and 2011. ||

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  • 

    ID: 4104 Visualization

    2013 Daily Arctic Sea Ice from AMSR2: May - September 2013

    Sept. 20th, 2013
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    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 used in this animation are the 10-km daily sea ice concentration and the 10 km daily 89 GHz Brightness Temperature.In 2013, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) determined the Arctic sea ice reached its annual minimum of 5.1 million square kilometers on September 13, 2013 using a 5-day trailing average. NASA scientists independently determined the Arctic sea ice reached its annual minimum extent of 5.217 million square kilometers on September 12 using a 5-day running average. In this animation, the daily Arctic sea ice and seasonal land cover change progress through time, from May 16, 2013 through the minimum area of coverage for 2013. Two movies are provided: one stopping on September 12 and one that continues to September 13. Over the water, Arctic sea ice changes from day to day showing a running 3-day minimum sea ice concentration in the region where the concentration is greater than 15%. The blueish white colour of the sea ice is derived from a 3-day running minimum of the AMSR2 89 GHz brightness temperature. Over the land, monthly data from the seasonal Blue Marble Next Generation fades slowly from month to month. ||

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  • 

    ID: 3767 Visualization

    Arctic Sea Ice Minimum Extent for 2010

    Sept. 29th, 2010
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean. Some sea ice is semi-permanent, persisting from year to year, and some is seasonal, melting and refreezing from season to season. The sea ice cover reaches its minimum extent at the end of each summer and the remaining ice is called the perennial ice cover.In this animation, the Arctic sea ice and seasonal land cover change progress through time, from March 31, 2010 when sea ice in the Arctic was at its maximum extent, through September 19, 2010, when it was at its minimum. The blueish white color of the sea ice is derived from a 3-day running maximum of the AMSR-E 89 GHz brightness temperature. Over the terrain, monthly data from the seasonal Blue Marble Next Generation fades slowly from month to month. ||

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  • 

    ID: 3631 Visualization

    Daily Arctic Sea Ice - Summer 2009

    Sept. 7th, 2009
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean. Some sea ice is semi-permanent, persisting from year to year, and some is seasonal, melting and refreezing from season to season. The sea ice cover reaches its minimum extent at the end of each summer and the remaining ice is called the perennial ice cover.Duing the summer of 2009, the arctic sea ice reached its minimum extent on September 12th. The 2009 minimum extent was the third lowest extent measured since the beginning of the satellite record in 1979. This animation shows the summer retreat of sea ice over the Arctic from 7/1/2009 through 9/12/2009. The sea ice was defined by a 3-day moving average of the AMSR-E 12.5 km sea ice concentration, showing the region where the sea ice concentration was greater than 15%. The false color of the sea ice was derived from the AMSR-E 6.25 km brightness temperature. ||

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  • 

    ID: 3556 Visualization

    2008 Arctic Sea Ice from AMSR-E

    Oct. 2nd, 2008
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean. Some sea ice is semi-permanent, persisting from year to year, and some is seasonal, melting and refreezing from season to season. The sea ice cover reaches its minimum extent at the end of each summer and the remaining ice is called the perennial ice cover. The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite acquires high resolution measurements of the 89 GHz brightness temperature near the poles. Because this is a passive microwave sensor which is not so sensitive to atmospheric effects, this sensor is able to observe the entire polar region every day, even through clouds and snowfall. The false color of the sea ice, derived from the AMSR-E 6.25 km 89 GHz brightness temperature, highlights the fissures or divergence areas in the sea ice cover by warm brightness temperatures (in blue) while cold brightness temperatures, shown in brighter white, represent consolidated sea ice. The sea ice edge is defined by the 15% ice concentration contour in the three-day moving average of the AMSR-E 12.5 km sea ice concentration data.The animations below show the continuous motion of the Arctic sea ice during 2008, from January 1 through September 14, the week during which the Arctic sea ice reached its minimum extent. The 2008 minimum extent of 4.52 sq km (1.74 sq miles) is the second lowest extent recorded since 1979. ||

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  • 

    ID: 3561 Visualization

    Close view of 2008 Arctic Sea Ice from AMSR-E

    Sept. 14th, 2008
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean. Some sea ice is semi-permanent, persisting from year to year, and some is seasonal, melting and refreezing from season to season. The sea ice cover reaches its minimum extent at the end of each summer and the remaining ice is called the perennial ice cover. The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite acquires high resolution measurements of the 89 GHz brightness temperature near the poles. Because this is a passive microwave sensor which is not so sensitive to atmospheric effects, this sensor is able to observe the entire polar region every day, even through clouds and snowfall. The false color of the sea ice, derived from the AMSR-E 6.25 km 89 GHz brightness temperature, highlights the fissures or divergence areas in the sea ice cover by warm brightness temperatures (in blue) while cold brightness temperatures, shown in brighter white, represent consolidated sea ice. The sea ice edge identifies areas containing at least 15% ice concentration in the three-day moving average of the AMSR-E 12.5 km sea ice concentration data.The animations below show the continuos motion of the Arctic sea ice during 2008 up to the point at which the Arctic sea ice reached its minimum extent. The 2008 minimum extent of 4.52 sq km (1.74 sq miles) is the second lowest extent recorded since 1979. ||

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  • 

    ID: 3466 Visualization

    2007 Arctic Sea Ice from AMSR-E with Greenland in Foreground

    Oct. 2nd, 2007
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean. Some sea ice is semi-permanent, persisting from year to year, and some is seasonal, melting and refreezing from season to season. The sea ice cover reaches its minimum extent at the end of each summer and the remaining ice is called the perennial ice cover. The 2007 Arctic summer sea ice has reached the lowest extent of perennial ice cover on record - nearly 25% less than the previous low set in 2005. The area of the perennial ice has been steadily decreasing since the satellite record began in 1979, at a rate of about 10% per decade. But the 2007 minimum, reached on September 14, is far below the previous record made in 2005 and is about 38% lower than the climatological average. Such a dramatic loss has implications for ecology, climate and industry.The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite acquires high resolution measurements of the 89 GHz brightness temperature near the poles. Because this is a passive microwave sensor which is not so sensitive to atmospheric effects, this sensor is able to observe the entire polar region every day, even through clouds and snowfall. This animation progresses at a rate of six frames per day from January 1, 2007 through the minimum extent which occurred on September 14, 2007. The false color of the sea ice, derived from the AMSR-E 6.25 km 89 GHz brightness temperature, highlights the fissures or divergence areas in the sea ice cover by warm brightness temperatures (in blue) while cold brightness temperatures, shown in brighter white, represent consolidated sea ice. The sea ice edge is defined by the 15% ice concentration contour in the three-day moving average of the AMSR-E 12.5 km sea ice concentration data while ice extent is the sum of all pixels with at least 15% ice. ||

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  • 

    ID: 3456 Visualization

    2007 Arctic Sea Ice from AMSR-E with Alaska in Foreground

    Sept. 18th, 2007
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean. Some sea ice is semi-permanent, persisting from year to year, and some is seasonal, melting and refreezing from season to season. The sea ice cover reaches its minimum extent at the end of each summer and the remaining ice is called the perennial ice cover. The 2007 Arctic summer sea ice has reached the lowest extent of perennial ice cover on record - nearly 25% less than the previous low set in 2005. The area of the perennial ice has been steadily decreasing since the satellite record began in 1979, at a rate of about 10% per decade. But the 2007 minimum, reached on September 14, is far below the previous record made in 2005 and is about 38% lower than the climatological average. Such a dramatic loss has implications for ecology, climate and industry. The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite acquires high resolution measurements of the 89 GHz brightness temperature near the poles. Because this is a passive microwave sensor which is not so sensitive to atmospheric effects, this sensor is able to observe the entire polar region every day, even through clouds and snowfall. This animation progresses at a rate of six frames per day from January 1, 2007 through the minimum extent which occurred on September 14, 2007. The false color of the sea ice, derived from the AMSR-E 6.25 km 89 GHz brightness temperature, highlights the fissures or divergence areas in the sea ice cover by warm brightness temperatures (in blue) while cold brightness temperatures, shown in brighter white, represent consolidated sea ice. The sea ice edge is defined by the 15% ice concentration contour in the three-day moving average of the AMSR-E 12.5 km sea ice concentration data while ice extent is the sum of all pixels with at least 15% ice.An image of the sea ice on September 14, 2007 is included below, along with a corresponding image from September 21, 2005 showing the previous minimum sea ice extent. ||

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• Used as a Source In

  • 

    ID: 11932 Produced Video

    The Evolving Arctic

    Sept. 17th, 2015
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    A NASA analysis of satellite data reveals the 2015 Arctic sea ice minimum extent is one of the lowest on record. || c-1920.jpg (1920x1080) [415.1 KB] || c-1280.jpg (1280x720) [278.6 KB] || c-1024.jpg (1024x576) [199.6 KB] || c-1024_print.jpg (1024x576) [210.9 KB] || c-1024_searchweb.png (320x180) [109.5 KB] || c-1024_web.png (320x180) [109.5 KB] || c-1024_thm.png (80x40) [22.0 KB] ||

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  • 

    ID: 12001 Produced Video

    Arctic Sea Ice Reaches 2015 Minimum Extent

    Sept. 15th, 2015
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    For complete transcript, click here. || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER_youtube_hq_print.jpg (1024x576) [155.7 KB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER_youtube_hq.mov (1280x720) [179.4 MB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER_prores_2.mov (1920x1080) [1.1 GB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER.mpeg (1280x720) [265.9 MB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER.webm (960x540) [32.4 MB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER_appletv.m4v (1280x720) [42.1 MB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER_HD.wmv (1280x720) [15.6 MB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER_prores.mov (1280x720) [583.7 MB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER_appletv_subtitles.m4v (1280x720) [42.1 MB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_for_captioning.en_US.srt [1.5 KB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_for_captioning.en_US.vtt [1.4 KB] || 2015_Arctic_Sea_Ice_Minimum_-_MASTER_ipod_sm.mp4 (320x240) [14.1 MB] ||

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  • 

    ID: 11999 Produced Video

    Approaching The 2015 Arctic Sea Ice Minimum

    Sept. 11th, 2015
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    As the sun sets over the Arctic, the end of this year’s melt season is quickly approaching and the sea ice cover has already shrunk to the fourth lowest in the satellite record. With possibly some days of melting left, the sea ice extent could still drop to the second or third lowest on record. Arctic sea ice, which regulates the planet’s temperature by bouncing solar energy back to space, has been on a steep decline for the last two decades. This animation shows the evolution of Arctic sea ice in 2015, from its annual maximum wintertime extent, reached on February 25, to September 6. ||

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