International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO)

IBCSO is the authoritative map of the Southern Ocean with the largest database of depth measurements. With billions of soundings contributed by organisations across the globe, it portrays the Southern Ocean seafloor in so-far unprecedented detail.

IBCSO is a regional mapping initiative of the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO). It is closely associated with and supported by the Nippon Foundation – GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project (Seabed 2030).

GEBCO is a project under the auspice of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. Furthermore, IBCSO is an Expert Group of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).

1,480 datasets

including 950 multibeam datasets and 498 singlebeam datasets

88 organisations collected data

we’ve got the whole ABC of hydrography except for institutes starting with Q, X, Y or Z

Pooling data from 22 countries

That’s app. 16% of all countries bordering at least one ocean!

The IBCSO projection has it's own EPSG code now!

Our polar stereographic projection used in IBCSO is now registered under EPSG 9354!

25.5 billion soundings

entered the processing pipeline for IBCSO v2, that’s roughly 6 times as many soundings as was available for IBCSO v1 with 4.2 billion soundings!

23.6 % of the Southern Ocean is mapped by true data!

22.4% of all ocean cells were covered by multibeam data, 1.2% by singlebeam and less than 0.06% by other sources (at a resolution of 500x500m)!

Announcements

The Fifth Arctic-Antarctic and North Pacific Mapping Meeting

To be hosted by: Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung, Bremen, Germany Dates: 27 to 29 November 2023

The Fifth Arctic-Antarctic and North Pacific Mapping Meeting continues the series of mapping meetings organised and hosted by The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project Regional Centers that started in 2018.

This is an IN-PERSON and ONLINE meeting to help develop roadmaps, topics, and guidelines for achieving mutually beneficial goals in support of GEBCO and the ocean mapping community.

Find out how to register.

For specific questions, please contact the Seabed 2030 Regional Centers: Southern Ocean and Arctic and North Pacific.

News

Map the Gap Symposium 2023

Map the Gap Symposium 2023

Nov. 7, 8 | 2023, MONACO, Oceanographic Museum of Monaco Held on behalf of GEBCO, this event draws global experts in ocean technology, science and policy to discuss deep and coastal ocean exploration, offshore surveying technology, policy,...

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Instant 2023

Instant 2023

Sept. 11, 14 | 2023, Trieste, Trieste Convention Centre The INStabilities & Thresholds in ANTarctica (INSTANT) Scientific Research Programme provides a co-ordinating framework that will augment other important international research initiatives...

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IHO Assembly 2023

IHO Assembly 2023

May 2, 5 | 2023, Monaco, Grimaldi Forum The Assembly as the main organ of the Organization is formed by the representatives of the Member States. It meets every three years to provide general guidance on the functioning and work of the...

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Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) Symposium

Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) Symposium

The first Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) Symposium will be held from 14-18 August 2023 in Hobart, Tasmania. It is our pleasure to invite you to this milestone event for the SOOS community.You can find more information here:...

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ICES Annual Science Conference 2022

ICES Annual Science Conference 2022

11–14 September 2023 in Bilbao, Spain ​​​​​​​​​​We are excited to announce that next year's ASC will be hosted by Spain at Palacio Euskalduna​ in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain!​The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) is...

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RV Polarstern live tracker

IBCSO