Emergent activities in the Arctic: A space weather opportunity

摘要

On 2 August 2007, the Russian Federation planted its flag on the seabed beneath the North Pole, reminiscent of the flag-raising by the United States when American astronauts first stepped on the lunar surface. Though many dismiss this as a stunt, it does indicate the importance of the polar region from a geopolitical perspective. With the warming of the Arctic, and the gradual opening of shipping lanes coupled with the potentially large and untapped resources that are made available for exploitation, a rush to the Arctic is inevitable. There are a number of obvious stakeholders with military interests, commercial interests, and environmental concerns.