About the Iceberg Sightings Data
The iceberg sightings database is a computer record of all the recorded iceberg sightings on the North Atlantic Ocean dating back to the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. The database was created using Microsoft Excel and an .xls file was created for each year. The files have the same format as the International Ice Patrol records and the PERD database which are the current up to date records of iceberg sightings. The iceberg sightings database has added a field called “Vessel Name” which is considered to be important as it references who spotted the iceberg. Each excel file contains hundreds of rows and 38 columns which are explained below:
| Data source | Source of the data, always IOT. |
| Flag | Used for indicating a point or a line for mapping the point. A 1 indicates a point; a 0 following a 1 indicates a line path, 1 being the first point and 0 the second point on the line. |
| IIP# | Is a number used to identify the iceberg sighting of that year. It follows the International Ice Patrol format and the database compiler assigns it on years where the IIP had no records. The integer part of the number indicates the number of sighting. The first decimal place is given for each different iceberg on the same sighting, for example if a large and small icebergs are seen on the same location a 24.1 is given to the large iceberg and the 24.2 is given to the small iceberg in case it was the 24th iceberg sighting of he month. A second decimal place is given if the icebergs where spotted along a path, for example a growler and a medium iceberg are seen along a path between two coordinate points, 25.11 is assigned for the growler for the 1st coordinate point and a 25.12 is given for the second coordinate point closing the path, then a 25.21 and a 25.22 are given the same way but for the medium iceberg. |
| Iceberg # | Same as the IIP# but if there is a resight the number is repeated. |
| Resight | Y for yes if an iceberg is resighted and N for no. |
| Sighting source | Type of source where the iceberg was sighted, “Miscellaneous” usually refers to a place on land such as a lighthouse. |
| Vessel Name | Name of ship, aircraft or place where the iceberg was spotted. |
| Sighting method | Method by which the iceberg was identified, usually visual sighting. |
| Latitude | Latitude North of the equator |
| Longitude | Longitude West of Greenwich |
| Ice Season | Year of the ice season, usually same as the year |
| Year | Year of the iceberg sighting |
| Month | Month when the iceberg was sighted |
| Date | Actual date of iceberg sighting |
| Time | Time of day when the iceberg was sighted, not usually given. |
| Size | Size of the iceberg according to the IIP iceberg sizes. See About Icebergs on the menu for more information. If the size of the iceberg was not specified the word “Berg” is used. |
| #bergs | Number of icebergs sighted with no specified size |
| #growlers | Number of growler size icebergs seen. “x” is used for not specified number of growlers. |
| #Bergy Bits | Number of Bergy Bits size icebergs seen. “x” is used for not specified number of Bergy Bits. |
| Small | Number of Small size icebergs seen. “x” is used for not specified number of Small icebergs. |
| Medium | Number of Medium size icebergs seen. “x” is used for not specified number of Medium icebergs. |
| Large | Number of Large size icebergs seen. “x” is used for not specified number of Large icebergs. |
| Very Large | Number of Very Large size icebergs seen. “x” is used for not specified number of Very Large icebergs. |
| Ice Island | Number of Ice Island size icebergs seen. “x” is used for not specified number of Ice Island iceberg. |
| Unidentified | Not relevant. |
| Shape | Name of the iceberg shape if specified. For more information on iceberg shapes see About Icebergs on the menu. |
| Length | Length of the iceberg if given in meters |
| Length Flag | E for estimated length and M for measured length. |
| Height | Height of the iceberg if given in meters |
| Height Flag | E for estimated height and M for measured height. |
| Width | Width of the iceberg if given in meters |
| Width Flag | E for estimated width and M for measured width. |
| Draft | Draft of iceberg if given in meters |
| Draft flag | E for estimated draft and M for measured draft. |
| Mass | Mass of iceberg if given in tons |
| Mass flag | E for estimated mass and M for measured mass. |
| Drill site | Not relevant. |
| Comments | Refer where the iceberg sighting data was taken from and if there was any other information given and should be mentioned. |