Scientists Gather Data to Improve Connectivity in Russia’s Arctic
Participants in the Severny Polyus-42 (North Pole-42) expedition have collected data that will enable more accurate modeling of radio signal propagation through the ionosphere.
Reliable communications are essential to developing Russia’s Arctic region. Yet the region’s geography makes network deployment significantly more challenging, creating a need for specialized research.
Unique Data Collected for the First Time in 30 Years
Researchers at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) recently announced the results of the Severny Polyus-42 drifting expedition. For the first time in 30 years, the team obtained unique data that could help take radio communications in the Russian Arctic to a new level.
The breakthrough was made possible by setting up an oblique ionospheric sounding receiver in the polar region. Scientists analyzed signals received aboard the drifting platform and determined plasma parameters in near-Earth space at northern latitudes.
“The scientists have obtained the data needed to model the over-the-horizon propagation of radio waves reflected by the ionosphere. This, in turn, will help optimize radio communication channels across the Russian Arctic,” AARI’s press office explained.
How the Ionosphere Affects Radio Signals
The ionosphere plays a key role in the propagation of high-frequency (HF) radio signals. Refraction allows these waves to travel over long distances. But reliable communications depend on accurately predicting how a signal will behave. Changes in the ionosphere’s structure can distort signals or even cause the complete loss of transmitted information.
In the Arctic, the challenge is even greater. The ionosphere at high latitudes has distinct characteristics, and solar and geomagnetic activity have a particularly strong impact on it. As a result, models that perform well at other latitudes do not always deliver the accuracy needed for polar routes. The research conducted by the Severny Polyus-42 team is intended to address this problem. Its findings could be used in radio network planning systems, computational software and engineering solutions designed for remote areas.
Unlocking the Potential of the Northern Sea Route
The data gathered by the researchers should also help unlock the potential of the Northern Sea Route. Over time, the findings could make it easier to establish communications between vessels, improve search-and-rescue operations and help research teams coordinate their work more effectively.
The Severny Polyus-42 expedition continues a program of comprehensive scientific research in the high-latitude Arctic. The world’s first polar drifting research station, Severny Plyus (North Plus), began operating in 1937. This type of expedition subsequently became a regular practice, but the program was suspended in 2013 because of critical changes in ice conditions. In 2022, the drifting Arctic station program resumed with upgraded technology, supported by the unique research vessel Severny Polyus (North Pole), built at Admiralty Shipyards, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation.
Oblique ionospheric sounding was also conducted in 2025 in the Svalbard archipelago. AARI specialists received signals along several radio paths, including Cyprus–Barentsburg, Gorkovskaya–Barentsburg and Amderma–Barentsburg. The resulting ionograms were sent to the institute’s Polar Geophysical Center.
Antarctica Also Draws Research Attention
The Arctic is not the only focus of Russian scientific research. Scientists have also conducted studies in Antarctica, analyzing experimental signals between McMurdo Station and the South Pole, along with modeling results, to identify possible radio-wave propagation paths through the polar ionosphere. The findings were published in the journal Radio Science in 2024.
The results of the Severny Polyus-42 expedition matter not only for improving communications in Russia’s northern territories. They also give the international scientific community additional data for studying radio-wave propagation under polar conditions.
