Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Condensed Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total net revenues	$ 144,698	$ 129,737
Cost of goods sold	87,844	94,780
Gross profit	56,854	34,957
Total operating expenses	37,183	33,034
Income (loss) from operations	19,671	1,923
Interest expense, net	(4,797)	(1,066)
Intercompany interest, net	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	(1,688)	1,116
Other income (expense)	68,526	1,027
Income (loss) before income taxes	81,712	3,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	5,263	1,201
Net income	76,449	1,799
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(470)	76
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	75,979	1,875
Preferred stock dividends	0	338
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares	75,979	1,537
Comprehensive net income (loss)	75,788	(1,857)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(470)	76
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	75,318	(1,781)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | ION Geophysical Corporation [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total net revenues	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Gross profit	0	0
Total operating expenses	9,021	8,030
Income (loss) from operations	(9,021)	(8,030)
Interest expense, net	(4,573)	(1,025)
Intercompany interest, net	66	82
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	89,488	5,837
Other income (expense)	497	340
Income (loss) before income taxes	76,457	(2,796)
Income tax expense (benefit)	478	(4,671)
Net income	75,979	1,875
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	75,979	1,875
Preferred stock dividends		338
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares		1,537
Comprehensive net income (loss)	75,318	(1,781)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	75,318	(1,781)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | The Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total net revenues	78,122	73,922
Cost of goods sold	43,996	60,183
Gross profit	34,126	13,739
Total operating expenses	15,255	16,357
Income (loss) from operations	18,871	(2,618)
Interest expense, net	(42)	22
Intercompany interest, net	(435)	(269)
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	3,856	6,634
Other income (expense)	69,911	8
Income (loss) before income taxes	92,161	3,777
Income tax expense (benefit)	332	(768)
Net income	91,829	4,545
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	91,829	4,545
Preferred stock dividends		0
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares		4,545
Comprehensive net income (loss)	91,828	4,546
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	91,828	4,546
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total net revenues	66,576	55,815
Cost of goods sold	43,848	34,597
Gross profit	22,728	21,218
Total operating expenses	12,907	8,647
Income (loss) from operations	9,821	12,571
Interest expense, net	(182)	(63)
Intercompany interest, net	369	187
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	738	(735)
Other income (expense)	(1,882)	679
Income (loss) before income taxes	8,864	12,639
Income tax expense (benefit)	4,453	6,640
Net income	4,411	5,999
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(470)	76
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	3,941	6,075
Preferred stock dividends		0
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares		6,075
Comprehensive net income (loss)	4,901	2,275
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(470)	76
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	4,431	2,351
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total net revenues	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Gross profit	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0
Income (loss) from operations	0	0
Interest expense, net	0	0
Intercompany interest, net	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of investments	(95,770)	(10,620)
Other income (expense)	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(95,770)	(10,620)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Net income	(95,770)	(10,620)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ION	(95,770)	(10,620)
Preferred stock dividends		0
Net income (loss) applicable to common shares		(10,620)
Comprehensive net income (loss)	(96,259)	(6,897)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive net income (loss) attributable to ION	$ (96,259)	$ (6,897)