25 March 2026 | 16:00 - 18:30 CET
Open Session - HYBRID
Room: Mødelokale 1.1
Organiser: Julia Muchowski (Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, Sweden)
Session Description:
Polar Connect is a global initiative to lay a fibre optic submarine cable across the Arctic Ocean, connecting Europe and East Asia on the shortest possible path. As part of the EU co-funded projects North Pole Fiber (22-EU-DIG-NPF) and Polar Connect Step 1 (23-EU-DIG-PC1), we investigate how the Polar Connect submarine cable can act as a subsea observatory - able to collect scientific and environmental data at the seafloor of the deep Central Arctic Ocean year-round, continuously and in real-time. In this workshop, we will present current possibilities, technological developments, and future visions in submarine cable sensing with a focus on Polar Connect. To further define the implementation plan for sensing on Polar Connect, we would like to open the space for in-depth discussions with science, Indigenous, and local Arctic communities on for instance, 1.) the needs for data collection along the route of Polar Connect, 2.) the (technical) requirements of sensors, including different fields of currently existing research, 3.) future possibilities for research and Arctic communities, and 4.) data management solutions for real-time sensing data following the FAIR, CARE and TRUST principles. This is the time to get involved and voice your needs! What kind of sensing and environmental data do you find the most valuable and most needed? What future research or benefits for Arctic communities could you envision with sensing data from Polar Connect and what requirements would this pose on Polar Connect and its sensing data management solutions?