Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Summary of segment information
Revenues	$ 144,698	$ 129,737
Gross profit (loss)	56,854	34,957
Gross margin	39.00%	27.00%
Income (loss) from operations	19,671	1,923
Interest expense, net	(4,797)	(1,066)
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	(1,688)	1,116
Other expense, net	68,526	1,027
Income (loss) before income taxes	81,712	3,000
Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	89,241	89,170
Gross profit (loss)	33,011	20,197
Gross margin	37.00%	23.00%
Income (loss) from operations	19,112	7,357
Systems [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	24,848	31,847
Gross profit (loss)	11,417	8,380
Gross margin	46.00%	26.00%
Income (loss) from operations	3,371	934
Software [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	10,039	8,720
Gross profit (loss)	7,257	6,380
Gross margin	72.00%	73.00%
Income (loss) from operations	5,128	5,161
Ocean Bottom Services Segment [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	20,570	0
Gross profit (loss)	5,169	0
Gross margin	25.00%	0.00%
Income (loss) from operations	4,162	0
Corporate and Other [Member]
Summary of segment information
Income (loss) from operations	(12,102)	(11,529)
New Venture and Data Library [Member] \| Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	45,955	57,884
New Venture [Member] \| Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	32,738	48,436
Data Library [Member] \| Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	13,217	9,448
Data Processing [Member] \| Solutions [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	43,286	31,286
Towed Streamer [Member] \| Systems [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	11,851	13,549
Ocean Bottom Equipment [Member] \| Systems [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	0	6,765
Other [Member] \| Systems [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	12,997	11,533
Software Systems [Member] \| Software [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	9,154	7,941
Services [Member] \| Software [Member]
Summary of segment information
Revenues	$ 885	$ 779

Percentage of gross profit over revenue.

No definition available.

Name:	io_GrossMargin
Namespace Prefix:	io_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GrossProfit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 10

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 9

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16385135&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.12)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 11

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net amount of nonoperating interest income (expense).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net amount of other income and expense amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating income (expense) recognized for the period. Such amounts may include: (a) dividends, (b) interest on securities, (c) net gains or losses on securities, (d) unusual costs, (e) gains or losses on foreign exchange transactions, and (f) miscellaneous other income and expense items.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 9

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReconciliationFromSegmentTotalsToConsolidatedAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration