Ice Core

The World Data Center (WDC) for Paleoclimatology maintains archives of ice core data from polar and low-latitude mountain glaciers and ice caps throughout the world. Proxy climate indicators include oxygen isotopes, methane concentrations, dust content, as well as many other parameters.

Obtaining Data at the World Data Center

Search Datasets

• Ice Core Search Engine
  ​Search through ice core studies using Investigator, Title, Location Name, Parameters, and Latitude/Longitude Bounds.
• Interactive Map
  Select study locations by region, proximity to a point, or text-based attributes.
• Google Earth Map
  Locate and download ice core studies using a Google Earth map interface. Google Earth must be installed to use this search tool.
• Search All Paleoclimatology Data
  Access a free text search of our entire study archive.
• Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Catalog Service for the Web
  ​Harvest paleoclimate study metadata records using an OGC web service.

Browse Datasets

• List of Ice Core Datasets by Title and Investigator
• List of Ice Core Datasets by Location Name
• Ice Core Datasets from Our FTP Site

Contributing Data

Investigators who wish to contribute their data to our Ice Core archive can find information on contributing below. Data and study description information can be contributed by emailing your data to paleo@noaa.gov.

• General Information on Contributing Data

Other Data Archives

Additional sources for data and information on ice cores and climate science.

• Trieste 2008 Workshop Report on Ice Cores
  Report on the sources of uncertainty in ice core climate proxy data.
• National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)
  Research center that manages and distributes scientific data from all of the Earth's frozen environments. They also create data access tools and support data users.
• U.S. National Ice Core Laboratory (NICL)
  Facility that stores, curates, and studies ice cores recovered from all over the world and provides scientists opportunities for future study of these cores.