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Sea Ice Data Access and Tools
NASA has sea ice datasets that help researchers characterize the presence and extent of ice in the ocean. Access a range of data and data tools such as AppEEARS, Worldview, and Giovanni to make the most of sea ice data.
Sea Ice Datasets
| Dataset | Version Sort ascending | Platforms | Instruments | Temporal Extent | Spatial Extent | Spatial Resolution | Data Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLAS/ICESat L1B Global Elevation Data (HDF5) V034 | 034 | ICESat | ALTIMETERS, CD, GLAS, GPS, GPS Receiver, LA, PC | 2003-02-20 to 2009-10-11 |
N: 86 S: -86 E: 180 W: -180 |
60 Meters to 70 Meters x 60 Meters to 70 Meters | HDF5 |
| GLAS/ICESat L2 Global Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheet Altimetry Data (HDF5) V034 | 034 | ICESat | ALTIMETERS, CD, GLAS, GPS, GPS Receiver, LA, PC | 2003-02-20 to 2009-10-11 |
N: 86 S: -86 E: 180 W: -180 |
60 Meters to 70 Meters x 60 Meters to 70 Meters | HDF |
| GLAS/ICESat L2 Global Land Surface Altimetry Data (HDF5) V034 | 034 | ICESat | ALTIMETERS, CD, GLAS, GPS, GPS Receiver, LA, PC | 2003-02-20 to 2009-10-11 |
N: 86 S: -86 E: 180 W: -180 |
60 Meters to 70 Meters x 60 Meters to 70 Meters | HDF |
| ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Sea Ice Freeboard Quick Look V007 | 007 | ICESat-2 | ATLAS | 2025-06-08 to Present |
N: 88 S: -88 E: 180 W: -180 |
HDF5 | |
| ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Sea Ice Freeboard Quick Look V007 | 007 | ICESat-2 | ATLAS | 2025-06-08 to Present |
N: 88 S: -88 E: 180 W: -180 |
HDF5 | |
| ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Sea Ice Height V007 | 007 | ICESat-2 | ATLAS | 2018-10-14 to Present |
N: 88 S: -88 E: 180 W: -180 |
HDF5 | |
| ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Sea Ice Height Quick Look V007 | 007 | ICESat-2 | ATLAS | 2025-06-08 to Present |
N: 88 S: -88 E: 180 W: -180 |
HDF5 | |
| ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Sea Ice Freeboard V007 | 007 | ICESat-2 | ATLAS | 2018-10-14 to Present |
N: 88 S: -88 E: 180 W: -180 |
HDF5 | |
| ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Sea Ice Height Quick Look V007 | 007 | ICESat-2 | ATLAS | 2025-06-08 to Present |
N: 88 S: -88 E: 180 W: -180 |
HDF5 | |
| ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Sea Ice Height V006 | 006 | ICESat-2 | ATLAS | 2018-10-14 to 2025-03-02 |
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 |
HDF5 |
SHOWING 10 OF 193
Featured Sea Ice Observation Method: ICESat-2
NASA's Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) carries a laser altimeter scientists use to measure the elevation of ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice, and more in unprecedented, 3-D detail. The satellite also measures heights across Earth's temperate and tropical regions, and takes stock of the vegetation in forests worldwide.
Data from NASA’s ICESat-2 mission provide incredibly accurate measurements of Earth elevation change—and much more.
8 MIN READ
The five new datasets are the result of a joint effort by NASA’s Satellite Needs Working Group Management Office (SNWG MO), ICESat-2 team, and Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE).
3 MIN READ
ATL24, a new space-based lidar product, provides bathymetry data that can be used to characterize nearshore habitats and create safer maritime transportation channels.
This is the first in a five-part webinar series to introduce NASA's Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation-2 (ICESat-2) platform and the platform's data, tools, and applications.
Sea Ice Data Tools
| Tool Sort descending | Description | Services | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAltimetry | OpenAltimetry is a map-based visualization tool for exploring surface elevation data across Earth over time. | Analysis, Search and Discovery, Visualization |
SHOWING 1 OF 1
Frequently Asked Questions
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