Nuclear Explosion Monitoring in the Changing Arctic

As the Arctic warms and loses its perennial ice cover, it attracts new attention as a locus for resource extraction, commerce, communication, and defense. The region previously had a relatively low priority in global geopolitics due to operational challenges but is quickly attracting interest for economic growth, competition, and potential conflict. Future years and decades will see a transformation of the Arctic’s place in global geopolitics. In this context, monitoring both human and natural activity in the Arctic is increasingly critical.