International Ice Patrol (IIP) Iceberg Sightings Database

Parameters

ICEBERGS

Instruments

DRIFTING BUOYS
RADAR : RADIO DETECTION AND RANGING
SLAR : SIDE-LOOKING AIRBORNE RADAR

The International Ice Patrol (IIP) collects information on iceberg activity in the North Atlantic. The IIP area of responsibility prior to 2006 was 40 to 52 degrees North latitude and 39 to 57 degrees West longitude. However, starting in 2006 and going forward, the IIP area of responsibility is 40 to 65 degrees North latitude and 39 to 57 degrees West longitude. Data files contain latitude and longitude of sighted icebergs. Iceberg size classes are coded, as well as date and time of sighting, last date sighted, number of days on plot within the observation area, and several fields pertaining to the iceberg's model-predicted location. The data set begins in 1960; annual updates occur in September or October. The format of the IIP data has changed over the years. NSIDC has generated a merged data format that contains the common fields for the entire period of record. Both the IIP format data and the NSIDC merged format data are available. Data are in ASCII text files.

Data Citation

National Snow and Ice Data Center. 1995. International Ice Patrol (IIP) iceberg sightings database. Boulder, Colorado USA: National Snow and Ice Data Center/World Data Center for Glaciology. Digital media.