Cavalieri, D., C. Parkinson, P. Gloersen, and H. J. Zwally. 1996, updated 2006. Sea ice concentrations from Nimbus-7 SMMR and DMSP SSM/I passive microwave data. Boulder, Colorado USA: National Snow and Ice Data Center. Digital media.

Compiled into monthly climatologies by:

Stroeve, J. and W. Meier. 1999, updated 2008. Sea ice trends and climatologies from SMMR and SSM/I. Boulder, Colorado USA: National Snow and Ice Data Center. Digital media. Accessed 27 June 2008.

Instruments: Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR), Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I)

Resolution: 25 km

Time period included in climatologies: January 1979 - December 2007

Background: Monthly climatologies of sea ice extent represent mean ice concentration percentages greater than or equal to 15% for each month over the above time period. A threshold of 15% concentration is commonly used to define the sea ice edge. These data were generated using the NASA Team sea ice algorithm.