• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Google Earth Blog

The amazing things about Google Earth

  • Home
  • About
  • Basics
  • Links
  • Tips
  • 3D Models
  • Sightseeing
  • Videos

Arctic Ice Melting Animation in Google Earth

November 26, 2007

Arctic Sea Ice melting in Google EarthYou may have heard in the news this summer about the ice in the arctic having melted to a much vaster extent than in previous years. But, a new update to a Google Earth time animation shows this melting was very dramatic. The National Snow and Ice Data Center has a time animation which shows the extent of ice melting in September of each year since 1979. Download the animation here (491 Kbytes). In Google Earth click on the “play” button on the right of the time slider to watch the animation (it will have to load images for each frame the first time through). You can see the melting gets worse in the last few years, but in 2007 the change was dramatic. They also have an animation showing the daily sea ice concentration summer of 2007 (612 KBytes).
The National Snow and Ice Data Center has some of the best scientific Google Earth content. They are using Google Earth to effectively show the condition of ice, glaciers, and snow around the world.
Related – other scientific visualizations:

  • USGS Releases Awesome 1906 Earthquake Documentary Using Google Earth
  • Global Volcanoes
  • International Polar Year
  • Avian Flu Tracker
  • Global Paleogeographic Time Animation

About Frank Taylor

Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.

  • More Posts(1963)

Filed Under: Environment, Google Earth News, Google Earth Tips, Science, Sightseeing

Reader Interactions






PLEASE NOTE: Google Earth Blog is no longer writing regular posts. As a result, we are not accepting new comments or questions about Google Earth. If you have a question, use the official Google Earth and Maps Forums or the Google Earth Community Forums.

Comments

  1. Tok says

    November 26, 2007 at 10:13 am

    Why is the missing chunk on top of Alaska/Bering Street so much bigger than the missing parts over europe ?

  2. diziler says

    January 16, 2008 at 4:16 am

    Perhaps Google should show pre-9/11 images of Manhattan, with the World Trade Center intact.

  3. Brandon says

    May 4, 2008 at 1:11 pm

    Maybe they should throw in a little “real science” and explain that a KU environmental scientist found increased volcanic activity and a thinner mantle underneath the infamous arctic “ice river”.

  4. dinther says

    April 22, 2009 at 7:50 pm

    Dramatic? How? I have been playing that animation over and over but I can’t see anything dramatic. The summer of 2007 and 2008 has less ice but what meaning can you attach to a mere two very recent summer seasons?
    During those exact same times ice coverage appears larger than normal on the south pole.

  5. Steve says

    December 20, 2009 at 3:39 pm

    Why does Google Earth historical data show no sea ice in the artic? All December dates I select show open water and no sea ice.



PLEASE NOTE: Google Earth Blog is no longer writing regular posts. As a result, we are not accepting new comments or questions about Google Earth. If you have a question, use the official Google Earth and Maps Forums or the Google Earth Community Forums.

Primary Sidebar

RSS
Follow by Email
Facebook
Twitter




Categories

  • 3D Models (792)
  • Applications (708)
  • Business (288)
  • Environment (353)
  • Flying (208)
  • GE Plugin (282)
  • Google Earth News (1,764)
  • Google Earth Tips (592)
  • GPS (136)
  • Navigation (227)
  • Network Links (214)
  • Sailing (121)
  • Science (499)
  • Sightseeing (1,903)
  • Site News (587)
  • Sky (67)
  • Sports (154)
  • Street View (50)
  • Tours (117)
  • Video (421)
  • Weather (180)

Get new posts by email

Get new posts by email:

Google Earth Satellites

Copyright 2005-© 2022 Frank Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

This blog and its author are not an official source of information from Google that produces and owns Google Earth Google and Google Earth are trademarks of Google Inc.. All image screenshots from Google Earth are Copyright Google. All other trademarks appearing here are the trademarks of their respective owners.