Identification_Information:
   Dataset_Identifier: G02135

   Citation: 
      Citation_Information: 
         Originator: Fetterer, F., K. Knowles, W. Meier, and M. Savoie. 
         Publication_Date: 20021205
         Title: Sea Ice Index
         Publication_Information: 
            Publication_Place: Boulder, Colorado USA
            Publisher: NSIDC: National Snow and Ice Data Center
         Online_Linkage: http://nsidc.org/data/g02135.html
         Online_Linkage: http://dx.doi.org/10.7265/N5QJ7F7W

   Description: 
      Abstract:
         The Sea Ice Index provides a quick look at sea ice changes in spatial and 
         historical context, and gives a consistent, up-to-date source of sea ice 
         extent and sea ice concentration values and images. The NSIDC Near-Real-Time 
         DMSP SSM/I Daily Polar Gridded Sea Ice Concentrations and the Sea Ice 
         Concentrations from Nimbus-7 SSMR and DMSP SSM/I Passive Microwave Data data 
         sets are used to generate the monthly records of sea ice extent and sea ice 
         concentration for the Arctic and Antarctica from satellite passive microwave 
         data.

         Data files tabulate monthly mean extent and area, in millions of square 
         kilometers, by year for a given month. Plots of monthly sea ice extent 
         anomalies with trend lines and significance intervals are available. Monthly 
         images show sea ice extent (with an outline of the median extent for that 
         month for comparison), sea ice concentration, trends in sea ice concentration, 
         and anomalies in sea ice concentration. Anomalies and median extent are 
         calculated using a reference period of 1979 through 2000.

         Daily images of sea ice extent and concentration, along with a time series 
         plot of extent for the most recent four months, can be viewed and downloaded 
         on the data product site but are not archived. Some products are available as 
         GIS compatible shapefiles and KML files. The Browse Image Spreadsheet Tool 
         (BIST) can be used for animated images and for displaying archived images of 
         extent and trends side by side, to make it easy to compare images from 
         different years and months.

         Data are stored in ASCII text, Portable Network Graphics (PNG), Keyhole Markup 
         Language (KML), and Geospatial Vector Data format and are available from 
         November 1978 to present via FTP or the Sea Ice Index Web site.

      Purpose: scientific research
      Documentation: 
         User's_Guide: 
            Citation_Information: 
               Originator: Fetterer, F., K. Knowles, W. Meier, and M. Savoie. 
               Publication_Date: 20021205
               Title: Sea Ice Index
               Publication_Information: 
                  Publication_Place: Boulder, Colorado USA
                  Publisher: NSIDC: National Snow and Ice Data Center
               Online_Linkage: http://nsidc.org/data/docs/noaa/g02135_seaice_index/index.html

   Time_Period_of_Content:
      Time_Period_Information:
         Range_of_Dates/Times:
            Beginning_Date: 19790101
            Ending_Date: Unknown
      Currentness_Reference: publication date

   Status:
      Progress: In work
      Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: Unknown

   Spatial_Domain:
      Bounding_Coordinates:
         West_Bounding_Coordinate: -180
         East_Bounding_Coordinate: 180
         North_Bounding_Coordinate: 90
         South_Bounding_Coordinate: -90

   Keywords:
      Theme:
         Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: NASA Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
         Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Cryosphere > Sea Ice > Ice Extent
         Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Cryosphere > Sea Ice > Ice Growth/Melt
         Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Cryosphere > Sea Ice > Reflectance
         Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Cryosphere > Sea Ice > Sea Ice Concentration
         Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Sea Ice > Ice Extent
         Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Sea Ice > Ice Growth/Melt
         Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Sea Ice > Reflectance
         Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Sea Ice > Sea Ice Concentration
      Theme:
         Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
         Theme_Keyword: 
      Theme:
         Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: NASA Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
         Theme_Keyword: SMMR > Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer
         Theme_Keyword: SSM/I > Special Sensor Microwave/Imager
      Theme:
         Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: NASA Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords
         Theme_Keyword: DMSP > Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
         Theme_Keyword: NIMBUS-7
         Theme_Keyword: SATELLITES
      Theme:
         Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Categories
         Theme_Keyword: climatologyMeteorologyAtmosphere
         Theme_Keyword: oceans
      Theme:
         Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
         Theme_Keyword: NOAA
         Theme_Keyword: Sea Ice
         Theme_Keyword: Sea Ice Anomalies
         Theme_Keyword: Sea Ice Conditions
         Theme_Keyword: Sea Ice Trends
      Place:
         Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: NASA Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
         Place_Keyword: Continent > Antarctica
         Place_Keyword: Geographic Region > Arctic

   Access_Constraints: None

   Use_Constraints: None

   Point_of_Contact:
      Contact_Information:
         Contact_Person_Primary:
            Contact_Person: NSIDC User Services
            Contact_Organization: National Snow and Ice Data Center
         Contact_Address:
            Address_Type: mailing
            Address: CIRES, 449 UCB
            Address: University of Colorado
            City: Boulder
            State_or_Province: CO
            Postal_Code: 80309-0449
            Country: USA
         Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1 303 492-6199 x
         Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 1 303  492-2468 x
         Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nsidc@nsidc.org

Distribution_Information:
   Distributor:
      Contact_Information:
         Contact_Organization_Primary:
            Contact_Organization: National Snow and Ice Data Center
            Contact_Person: NSIDC User Services
         Contact_Address:
            Address_Type: mailing
            Address: National Snow and Ice Data Center
            Address: CIRES, 449 UCB
            Address: University of Colorado
            City: Boulder
            State_or_Province: CO
            Postal_Code: 80309-0449
            Country: USA
         Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1 303 492-6199 
         Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 1 303  492-2468 
         Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nsidc@nsidc.org

   Resource_Description: G02135

   Distribution_Liability:
      NSIDC cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or 
      omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function 
      on a particular system. NSIDC makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor 
      does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.

   Standard_Order_Process:
      Digital_Form:
         Digital_Transfer_Information:
            Format_Name: ASCII Text
         Digital_Transfer_Option:
            Online_Option:
               Computer_Contact_Information:
                  Network_Address:
                     Network_Resource_Name: ftp://sidads.colorado.edu/DATASETS/NOAA/G02135/
      Fees: None

   Standard_Order_Process:
      Digital_Form:
         Digital_Transfer_Information:
            Format_Name: ESRI Shapefiles
         Digital_Transfer_Option:
            Online_Option:
               Computer_Contact_Information:
                  Network_Address:
                     Network_Resource_Name: ftp://sidads.colorado.edu/DATASETS/NOAA/G02135/
      Fees: None

   Standard_Order_Process:
      Digital_Form:
         Digital_Transfer_Information:
            Format_Name: PNG
         Digital_Transfer_Option:
            Online_Option:
               Computer_Contact_Information:
                  Network_Address:
                     Network_Resource_Name: ftp://sidads.colorado.edu/DATASETS/NOAA/G02135/
      Fees: None

Metadata_Reference_Information:
   Metadata_Date: 20130307

   Metadata_Review_Date: 20130307

   Metadata_Contact: 
      Contact_Information:
         Contact_Person_Primary:
            Contact_Person: NSIDC User Services
            Contact_Organization: National Snow and Ice Data Center
         Contact_Address:
            Address_Type: mailing
            Address: National Snow and Ice Data Center
            Address: CIRES, 449 UCB
            Address: University of Colorado
            City: Boulder
            State_or_Province: CO
            Postal_Code: 80309-0449
            Country: USA
         Contact_Voice_Telephone: 1 303 492-6199 
         Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 1 303  492-2468 
         Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nsidc@nsidc.org

   Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata: Extensions for Remote Sensing Metadata

   Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-012-2002