International Ice Patrol Iceberg Drift Tracks From Buoy Data

International Ice Patrol Iceberg Drift Tracks, Version 1 contains satellite-tracked positions of individual icebergs in the North Atlantic Ocean. The dataset was created by the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, which deployed buoys on icebergs during specific years including 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983, and 1989. Observation periods for the tracked icebergs range from one week to two years.

Use Cases

• Analyzing iceberg drift trajectories and speeds using time-stamped positional data.
• Modeling iceberg movement and decay within the defined area of 40-52°N, 39-57°W.
• Studying inter-annual variability in iceberg behavior across the five recorded deployment years.
• Validating satellite or model-derived iceberg track predictions against in-situ buoy data.

Strengths

• Data originates from a recognized operational authority, the International Ice Patrol.
• Provides direct in-situ tracking of individual icebergs over periods ranging from one week to two years.
• Covers a specific multi-year observational period spanning 1977 to 1989.

Limitations

• The exact row count and available data columns are not specified on any platform.
• Platforms conflict on the last update date, reporting both 1989-07-24 and 2026-03-13.
• Data is stored in a specialized NODC format (156), which may require specific tools for access.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, managed by NSIDCV0.

Collection Method

Individual icebergs were tagged with buoys and tracked via satellite.

Time Range

1977 to 1989

Freshness

1989-07-24 23:59:59.999000

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean, 40 to 52 degrees North, 39 to 57 degrees West.