Interactive Cryosphere Explorer

3D ICE: Hold the Polar World in Your Hands

Explore Antarctica and Greenland like never before.

3D ICE is an Interactive Cryosphere Explorer designed to turn state-of-the-art Antarctica and Greenland datasets into an intuitive browser-based experience for glaciology research, teaching, and public engagement.

Launch Explorer Antarctica Features Source Data Greenland Features
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Antarctica

Discover Key Features of the Antarctic Ice Sheet

A vast, frozen desert at the bottom of the Earth, Antarctica holds 90% of the world's ice and hides a dynamic, hidden landscape of subglacial lakes and rivers that shape our future coastlines.

Antarctic ice velocity and flowlines

Watch how fast-flowing ice streams and drainage patterns connect the deep continental interior to outlet glaciers and massive ice shelves across Antarctica.

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Basin boundaries

Visualize distinct catchment outlines to see exactly how the ice sheet is partitioned, highlighting why regional ice loss must be interpreted within its specific basin context.

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Ocean circulations

Dive into the ever-changing circulation of the Southern Ocean and reveal its critical interactions with Antarctic ice shelves.

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Greenland

Seamlessly Transition to Greenland in One Unified 3D Environment

Serving as the Arctic's climate sentinel, the Greenland Ice Sheet is a rapidly transforming giant whose accelerating melt directly drives global sea-level rise and influences ocean circulation.

Greenland ice velocity and flowlines

Focus on a complex network of outlet glaciers and fast-flow structures, visualizing how ice is swiftly routed from high-altitude interior catchments down to the coast.

Loop Preview - Click tap to start

Ocean circulations

Examine how surrounding ocean currents interact with Greenland’s deep fjords, providing crucial context for the behavior and retreat of marine-terminating glaciers.

Loop Preview - Click tap to start

Key Features

Four capabilities that define the 3D ICE experience

Fully Interactive 3D Experience

Freely rotate, zoom, and change your viewpoint. Explore the ice sheets as if you were examining a physical model right in your hands.

Comprehensive & Customisable Data

Available for both Antarctica and Greenland. Seamlessly visualise continental-scale land data alongside simulated ocean circulations. Layer and combine them in any way you desire to uncover new insights.

Direct Gateway to Source Data

Built as a systematic data platform for professional researchers. First, visualise the latest state-of-the-art datasets in 3D, then simply click to jump directly to the source data you need.

Optimised Cross-Platform Performance

Features a balanced resolution preset for smooth exploration on mobile touchscreens. For the ultimate experience, switch to the stunning HD Option (4km resolution for Antarctica, 1km for Greenland), highly recommended for large desktop screens.

Source Data

A direct gateway to the datasets behind 3D ICE

Built as a systematic data platform for professional researchers. First, visualise the latest state-of-the-art datasets in 3D, then simply click to jump directly to the source data you need.

Community

Let’s Build the Ultimate Cryosphere Hub Together

3D ICE is continually evolving, and I’d love to hear feedback from the glaciology community to help me improve it further.

  • Have data to share? If you have Antarctic or Greenland datasets you’d like me to integrate into 3D ICE, please reach out.
  • Spread the word: If you find this tool useful for your research, teaching, or outreach, please feel free to share it with your network.
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