Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The condensed consolidated balance sheet of ION Geophysical Corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the “Company” or “ION,” unless the context otherwise requires) at December 31, 2018, has been derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements at that date. The condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2019, and the condensed consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive loss and condensed consolidated statements of stockholders' (deficit) equity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, are unaudited. In the opinion of management, all adjustments of a normal recurring nature that are necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim period have been included. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for a full year or of future operations. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements reflect a non-redeemable noncontrolling interest in a majority-owned affiliate which is reported as a separate component of equity in “Noncontrolling interest” in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest is stated separately in the condensed consolidated statements of operations. The activity for this noncontrolling interest relates to proprietary processing projects in Brazil. These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared using accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and applicable rules of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP have been omitted. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation, including the change in reportable segments presentation which had no impact on the condensed consolidated financial statements and the recognition of right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and operating lease liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as a result of the adoption of the new lease standard.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions by management that affects the reported amounts in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Areas involving significant estimates include, but not limited to, accounts and unbilled receivables, inventory valuation, sales forecast related to multi-client data libraries, impairment of property, plant and equipment and goodwill and deferred taxes. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-2, “Leases (Topic 842)” using the modified retrospective method. This ASU requires the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under the previous guidance. The Company used January 1, 2018, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in its condensed consolidated financial statements, as the date of initial application. The Company elected the practical expedients upon transition which will retain the lease classification for leases and any unamortized initial direct costs that existed prior to the adoption of the standard. The adoption of the standard resulted in ROU assets of $59.5 million and operating lease liabilities of $70.6 million on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of January 1, 2018. The difference between the ROU assets and operating lease liabilities is due to the derecognition of $11.1 million in deferred rent recorded within other long-term liabilities. There was no impact on the condensed consolidated statements of operations and cash flows. The adoption of the standard had no impact on the debt covenant compliance under existing agreements. The Company elected the practical expedient related to short-term leases, which are leases with a duration of twelve months or less, as such, they have not been recorded in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. See Note 11 “Lease Obligations.” for further discussion. Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” The guidance will replace the incurred loss impairment methodology under current GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The guidance is effective for public companies for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is in the initial stages of evaluating the impact of this standard on the condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company does not currently expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on the condensed consolidated financial statements.