The GlobICE Grid
The polar stereographic grid used by GlobICE for the Arctic.

Arctic Grid


The GlobICE system uses a polar stereographic map projection covering areas north of 60° North.


The grid has the following projection parameters:


projection: Polar Stereographic

latitude of true scale: 70° North

grid spacing: 100 metres


ellipsoid: Hughes

radius: 6378.273 km

eccentricity: 0.081816153


meridian of x axis: 45° East

meridian of y axis: 135° East

origin: 90° North, 45° West


The latitude of true scale is chosen to minimise distortion at the marginal ice zone, while distortion at the North pole is about 3%.



The polar stereographic grid used by GlobICE for the Antarctic.

Antarctic Grid


For the prototype Antarctic products, the GlobICE system uses the same grid as that used by the National Snow and Ice Data Center for its ice products.


The grid has the following projection parameters:


projection: Polar Stereographic

latitude of true scale: 70° South

grid spacing: 100 metres


ellipsoid: Hughes

radius: 6378.273 km

eccentricity: 0.081816153


meridian of x axis: 0° East

meridian of y axis: 90° East

origin: 90° South, 180° East