Condensed Consolidating Financial Information - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 56,414	$ 36,956
Cost of sales	26,903	27,044
Impairment of multi-client data library	1,167
Gross profit	28,344	9,912
Total operating expenses	22,018	25,849
Income (loss) from operations	6,326	(15,937)
Interest expense, net	(3,221)	(3,112)
Intercompany interest, net	0	0
Equity in earnings of investments	0	0
Other income (expense), net	429	(792)
Income (loss) before income taxes	3,534	(19,841)
Income tax expense	5,874	1,407
Net loss	(2,340)	(21,248)
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	77	(112)
Net loss attributable to ION	(2,263)	(21,360)
Comprehensive net loss	(4,121)	(20,278)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	77	(112)
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	(4,044)	(20,390)
Reportable Legal Entities | ION Geophysical Corporation
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0
Impairment of multi-client data library	0
Gross profit	0	0
Total operating expenses	8,120	12,839
Income (loss) from operations	(8,120)	(12,839)
Interest expense, net	(3,245)	(3,166)
Intercompany interest, net	(190)	300
Equity in earnings of investments	9,628	(5,169)
Other income (expense), net	1,385	7
Income (loss) before income taxes	(542)	(20,867)
Income tax expense	1,721	493
Net loss	(2,263)	(21,360)
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net loss attributable to ION	(2,263)	(21,360)
Comprehensive net loss	(4,044)	(20,390)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	(4,044)	(20,390)
Reportable Legal Entities | The Guarantors
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	40,422	17,613
Cost of sales	21,800	20,200
Impairment of multi-client data library	1,167
Gross profit	17,455	(2,587)
Total operating expenses	6,980	9,075
Income (loss) from operations	10,475	(11,662)
Interest expense, net	(38)	(49)
Intercompany interest, net	(1,927)	4,649
Equity in earnings of investments	1,732	2,001
Other income (expense), net	0	(122)
Income (loss) before income taxes	10,242	(5,183)
Income tax expense	595	(1,291)
Net loss	9,647	(3,892)
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net loss attributable to ION	9,647	(3,892)
Comprehensive net loss	13,754	(3,935)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	13,754	(3,935)
Reportable Legal Entities | All Other Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	15,992	19,343
Cost of sales	5,103	6,844
Impairment of multi-client data library	0
Gross profit	10,889	12,499
Total operating expenses	6,918	3,935
Income (loss) from operations	3,971	8,564
Interest expense, net	62	103
Intercompany interest, net	2,117	(4,949)
Equity in earnings of investments	0	0
Other income (expense), net	(956)	(677)
Income (loss) before income taxes	5,194	3,041
Income tax expense	3,558	2,205
Net loss	1,636	836
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	77	(112)
Net loss attributable to ION	1,713	724
Comprehensive net loss	4,082	1,699
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	77	(112)
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	4,159	1,587
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0
Impairment of multi-client data library	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 of investments	(11,360)	3,168
Other income (expense), net	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(11,360)	3,168
Income tax expense	0	0
Net loss	(11,360)	3,168
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net loss attributable to ION	(11,360)	3,168
Comprehensive net loss	(17,913)	2,348
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive net loss attributable to ION	$ (17,913)	$ 2,348