Daily and Monthly Polar Sea Ice Concentrations from Satellite Microwave Radiometers

Polar sea ice concentration data derived from satellite microwave radiometers including Nimbus-7 SMMR and DMSP SSM/I-SSMIS sensors. The dataset provides daily and monthly gridded data for both north and south polar regions on a 25 km grid, with coverage starting in November 1978 and ongoing updates. It was generated by the NSIDC_CPRD using the AMSR-E Bootstrap Algorithm.

Use Cases

• Analyze long-term sea ice concentration trends using the daily and monthly time-series data for climate modeling.
• Compare sea ice extent between the north and south polar regions using the gridded concentration values.
• Validate sea ice models against observational data from the SMMR, SSM/I, and SSMIS sensor records.
• Study seasonal and interannual variability of polar sea ice using the continuous record from 1978 onward.

Strengths

• Continuous temporal coverage from November 1978 to present, spanning over four decades.
• Data provided for both the north and south polar regions on a consistent 25 km polar stereographic grid.
• Incorporates measurements from multiple satellite sensors (SMMR, SSM/I, SSMIS) for continuity.

Limitations

• Spatial resolution is limited to 25 km, which may not capture fine-scale sea ice features.
• Prior to July 1987, data is available only every other day, creating a temporal gap in the daily record.

Provenance

Source

NSIDC_CPRD, derived from NASA Nimbus-7 SMMR and DMSP SSM/I-SSMIS satellite sensors.

Collection Method

Generated using the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) Bootstrap Algorithm with daily varying tie-points.

Time Range

November 1978 to present

Freshness

Updated several times annually with ongoing processing.

Geography

North and south polar regions