SIZONet and AAOKH: Alaska Arctic Sea Ice and Environmental Observations Since 2006

Alaska's northern and western coasts are the focus of observations collected since 2006 by Iñupiaq and Yup'ik sea ice experts and community members. The database integrates Indigenous Knowledge with western science, documenting sea ice, weather, wildlife, and community activities. It is maintained by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and provides a framework for tracking climatic and environmental features over time.

Use Cases

• Tracking sea ice freeze-up and melt timing based on long-term community observations
• Analyzing changes in shore-fast ice stability and multiyear ice thickness based on expert reports
• Studying correlations between environmental conditions and community activities based on documented records
• Comparing climatic events across geographic locations over time based on the spatially referenced database

Strengths

• Observations span from 2006 to the present, offering a long-term record
• Data integrates two distinct knowledge systems: western science and Indigenous Knowledge
• Spatially referenced observations around multiple Alaska coastal communities

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Access requires agreeing to a Use Agreement, which may impose restrictions

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Observations collected by Iñupiaq and Yup'ik sea ice experts and community members

Time Range

Since 2006

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 01:07:05.342412; freshness should be verified

Geography

Northern and western coasts of Alaska