DATA SENSING; THE NEW CONTEMPORARY VERSION OF EXTRACTION ADS7: by Lena Geerts Danau

DATA SENSING: THE NEW CONTEMPORARY VERSION OF EXTRACTION

portfolio

elise hunchuck

lena geerts danau

marco ferrari jingru (cyan) cheng

ADS7: something in the air, politics of the atmosphere royal college of art, school of architecture

DATA SENSING: THE NEW CONTEMPORARY VERSION OF EXTRACTION

portfolio

elise hunchuck

lena geerts danau

marco ferrari jingru (cyan) cheng

ADS7: something in the air, politics of the atmosphere royal college of art, school of architecture

this project uses svalbard as a model by which to explore how the claim over some knowledge is associated with the claim over some territory. the

formulation of territory that is unique to svalbard allows for an examination of the process of measuring, collecting, and sending out data. it shows the

trajectories of data around our world and unfolds the gaps in opportunities between the connected

(hotspot) and unconnected (blindspot) worlds.

00 - INDEX

CHAPTER 1 - CLOUD SEEDING 01 - infrastructure to conduct cloud seeding 01 - discovering the diagram 01 - operation popeye - war 01 - operation cumulus - research 01 - pace study - commercial 01 - weather modification inc.

CHAPTER 2 - INTERNATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS 02 - infrastructure for international models 02 - discovering the diagram 02 - arctic 02 - svalbard 02 - svalbard treaty

CHAPTER 3 - CLOUD NETWORK 03 - infrastructure for transmission of data 03 - discovering the diagram 03 - metOp satellite 03 - trajectory of data

CHAPTER 4 - SVALBARD AS A MODEL 04 - infrastructure to measure the weather 04 - discovering the diagram 04 - extractive history 04 - models of the atmosphere 04 - accessibility of the stations

CHAPTER 5 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION 05 - introduction 05 - discovering the diagram 05 - concept 05 - infosphere projection 05 - geographic stroll around svalbard 05 - balloon sensing 05 - atmospheric conditions

01 - CLOUD SEEDING INTRODUCTION

‘WEATHER TIES THE WORLD TOGETHER, BUT TECHNOLOGY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PULL IT APART’ ANDREW BLUM

‘Cloud seeding’ , the process of sowing clouds with large quantities of condensed nuclei of silver iodid in an attempt to increase percipitation.

01 - INFRASTRUCTURE TO CONDUCT CLOUD SEEDING

this series of images explains: the first experiments done. silver iodide is the substance used to seed a cloud. in the past, several tests are done to first create a cloud out of this chemical and then afterward find ways in which it is possible to spray this substance in the air. seeding a cloud can be done in three different ways; an airplane, a

ground base structure, or a rocket on top of a truck.

the effects cloud seeding can have on the weather. possible outcomes are rain enhancement, snow precipitation, and hail mitigation.

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5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12 10| aircraft to increase percipitation 11|

13| increased rainfall 14| try to redirect disasters such as tornados

percipitation

15| increase snowfall

12| rocket as a tool to increase pecipitation

or hail

6| effects of seeding alto-stratus clouds after 45 min

control expiriments

waves to create rain

3| tower and dynamite detonator: set shock

engeneers watchiing the inflation of a balloon

1| methods for seeding supercooled clouds and ground fog with ice crystal nuclei 2| weather

4 4| seeding particle 5| vincent shaefer: discovery for new weather

ground based instrumentation to increase

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01 - CLOUD SEEDING DISCOVERING THE DIAGRAM

01 - CLOUD SEEDING

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my research started with an investigation of cloud seeding programs around the world. cloud seeding is one of the tools used to modify weather. it relies on weather data observed via research stations around the earth.

this drawing represents the retrievable history of local cloud seeding projects around the world. all these projects that i listed here are singular moments in time and space where countries of companies used cloud seeding as a tool to control the weather of a specific area. although there is no detailed research that shows the impact of cloud seeding is only limited to a particular area. it suggests that there is a chance that one project can affect the territory of other countries.

the diagram shows all the projects that are conducted by private organizations (outer circle) as well as by the government (inner circle). in some cases, we see that the programs are used for research; as a result, a couple of policies related to the scientific effects are written out. on the other side, cloud seeding is sometimes used as a weapon during the war; this use resulted in some other policies related to the weaponization of the weather.

by collecting all this information, i was able to find individual projects in the world that are connected. so, there is cross-national cooperation for cloud seeding. most of the projects are located in the north; this exposes the asymmetry between the global north and south since these organizations are using cloud seeding for commercial purposes and are in this way able to adapt or mitigate the effects of climate change. cloud seeding: a tool to modify the weather

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01 - CLOUD SEEDING Cloud seeding projects represent the global north-south divide. This drawing shows the adapted line of Brandt based on the number of projects conducted in each country. Most of the cloud seeding projects are located in the North. So this exposes the asymmetry between the global North and south since these organizations are using cloud seeding for commercial purposes and are, in this way, able to adapt or mitigate the effects of climate change.

01 - CLOUD SEEDING The effects Cloud seeding can have on the weather is split into three biomes, namely: Rain enhancement, Snow precipitation, and hail mitigation.

01 - CLOUD SEEDING The conducted cloud seeding projects have different purposes. Governments, as well as private companies, are conducting projects. The outer circle shows the private companies, so as you can see, the market of weather modification, in this case, is mostly privatized. The purposes (light blue charts) of private organizations are primarily commercial. In the inner circle, you can see the project conducted by governments. Their objects (dark blue charts) differ; they use it mostly for war or research.

01 - CLOUD SEEDING CONCEPTS

OPERATION POPEYE - WAR

during the cold war, amazing technology advancements brought entirely new realms of potential for the reinvention of meteorology. these inventions created a dubious meaning of the weather data. in times of peace, observing the weather is utility work, but in times of war, the observation of the weather can be weaponized. the use of observation of the weather for war purposes happened, for example, during operation popeye, which was a military cloud-seeding operation carried out by the

U.S. air force during the 1967-1972. the program attempted to extend the monsoon season over specific areas of the ho chi minh trail, to disvietnam war in

rupt north vietnamese military supplies by softening road surfaces and causing landslides.

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OPERATION CUMULUS - RESEARCH

several experiments are carried out in the field of cloud seeding,

each looking at the results and impacts this process can have. one of these projects was operation cumulus carried out in qugust

1952. a team of international scientists working with the RAF was experimenting with artificial rainmaking in southern britain. at the same time, a flood occurred in lynmouth. up till now there is denial of the link between the experiments and the flood disaster that occurred in lynmouth.

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PACE STUDY - COMMERCIAL

cloud seeding is and has been an exploratory area. one of these early ex-

(PACE) 1978 with support from the national oceanic and atmospheric administration. this field experiment did

periments was the precipitation augmentation for crops experiment initiated by the illinois state water survey in

an investigation to use cloud seeding as a tool to modify the clouds and increase in this way rainfall. the increase in rainfall has the purpose of augmenting the number of crops.

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WEATHER MODIFIATION INC.

there is cross-national cooperation in the field of cloud seeding. this drawing explains the entanglements of one company with the

rest of the world. namely, weather modification incorporated located in minnesota in north-america. this company is delivering infrastructure in the form of material (such as aircrafts and weather radar systems) as well as in non-material material form (technology transfer, atmospheric assessment).

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02 - INTERNATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS INTRODUCTION

‘HOW TO LIVE IN A PLANET CARVED UP BY BORDERS BUT WITH A BORDERLESS ATMOSPHERE’ JEFFERSON

international models are holding the infrastructure together

02 - INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INTERNATIONAL MODELS

to maintain order in the weather observing system several platform are existing in our world. this series of images talks about the challenges for international meteorological organizations to establish standards, rules and protocols for the weather observing system so the measurements can be constructed into one system.

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4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12 10| u-polarnet statement 11| eu-polarnet consortium 12| eu-polarnet meeting

13| lysef homepage and consortium partners 14| nysmac logo 15| nysmac meeting

arctic council

3| first postcards of svalbard

svalbard threaty

1| contract for the svalbard threaty 2| signing

3 4| arctic council statement of minesterial meeting in 2019 5| minesterial council meeting in finland 6|

7| report statement of interact 8| consortium partners of interact 9| mapping of the interact stations

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02 - INTERNATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS DISCOVERING THE DIAGRAM

02 - INTERNATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS

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international meteorological organizations are existing in the arctic and in svalbard to establish standards, rules, and protocols for the weather observing system. this system calls the world weather watch and offers free dissemination of weather forecasts over the internet. it gives us the idea that everybody has access to the research platforms and measured data, but in the end, this structure is still based on stations that are owned by nations and are situated in particular places around the globe. if we want to make this system work as a global system, there needs to be an equilibrium between the things nations are doing for themselves and, on the other side, what they are contributing to the systems that supersede their borders. so every country can be sure to get something in return for the contributions they delivered to the global network. the actual system suggests everybody has free access to research platforms and data, but in the end, the observation happens in structures owned by governments or private companies. these stations are located in particular places around the globe. the diagram shows the international bodies that are important in

Svalbard. three organizations, all composed of slightly differing nations, deliver infrastructure. some research stations come back in each of these bodies. this return implies their importance in this specific area.

and around

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02 - INTERNATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS

02 - INTERNATIONAL ENTANGLEMENTS CONCEPTS

INTERNATIONAL ENTRANGLEMENTS IN THE ARCTIC the arctic council is the main body in the arctic. this forum pro-

motes cooperation between the different nations situated in the

Arctic region as well as observers from outside the arctic region. This forum works together with international networks for research and monitoring the Arctic region. the two central systems are INTERACT; a global network that offers databases of all the research conducted in the Arctic region, and EU-polarnet; a consortium of expertise and infrastructure for polar research. 040

INTERNATIONAL ENTRANGLEMENTS IN SVALBARD

svalbard, an island in the northern sea, is home to several observing stations. norwegian stations are present on this island, and i discovered that international bodies deliver infrastructure there as well. the presence of international actors implies the importance of

Svalbard as a place to

reveal global problems related to the climate. the svalbard treaty defines the international interest in the island. just as in the arctic, networks are used to maintain order and communicate the existing and finished research activities. the overall network for

Svalbard

that provides information about the conducted research over the whole island is called

SIOS (svalbard integrated arctic earth observing system). 041

9 February 1920 and submitted for 21 October 1920. there were 14 original high contracting parties: denmark, france, italy, japan, the netherlands, norway, sweden, the united kingdom (including the dominions of australia, canada, new zealand, and south africa, as well as india), and the united states. the treaty was signed on

registration in the league of nations treaty series on

currently

46 parties to the treaty

afghanistan, albania, argentina, australia, austra, belgium, bulgaria, canada, chile, china, czech republic, denmark, dominican republic, egypt, estonia, finland, france, germany, greece, hungary, iceland, india, ireland, italy, japan, latvia, lithuania, monaco, netherlands, new zealand, north korea, norway, poland, portugal, romania, russia, saudi arabia, slovakia, south africa, south korea, spain, sweden, switzerland, united kingdom, united states, venezuela

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SVALBARD TREATY svalbard was first a terra nulius and is now a norwegian island witch occupies a unique legal position. the island lies in the arctic. the dutch explorer william barents discovered it in

1596. after the

discovery, hunters dominated the island.

at a certain point, several countries became aware of the richness of the surface of the archipelago, and this awareness led to the start of a coal rush, every involved nation wanted to claim the island to conduct economic activities and exploit the richness of the abundant resources. the development of the mining industry gave rise to permanent

1900s. there was a need for jurisdiction, and norway took initiatives to held multilateral conferences. the breakthrough came at the paris peace conference after WWI with the establishment of the Ssalbard treaty. norway achieved the sovereignty but with two significant restrictions; firstly, all treaty members received equal rights to economic resources, and secondly, the archipelago can’t be used for warlike purposes. settlement in the

soon after the coal industry fell into a slump, there was less interest from other nations, and only norway and russia were still conducting mining activity on the archipelago. both were living separately using their infrastructure.

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03 - CLOUD NETWORK INTRODUCTION

‘TRANSFERRING OF DATA OVERTURNED THE HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING OF TERRITORY AND SOVEREIGNITY ‘ ANDREW BLUM

‘longybaerden’ , the hotspot for data tranfer from svalbard to the rest of the world. global view with particular spots on the world owned by nations

03 - INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TRANMISSION OF DATA

this series of images explains how the observed data that is measuresd in svalbard is collected and then tranmitted to the central database maintained by the WMO. 30minutes a LEO coverage satellite flies over the north pole, at this moment the satellite is able to make radio communication with the ground station situated on Svalbard (more specific longybaerden). the main task during this pass is to download the data the satellite collected while traveling around the planet. the every

received data is then sended via a fiber optic cable connection or via a satellite ground based network with dish antenna’s around the globe. the process is shown in this series of pictures from satellite to the ground and finally to the headquarters in germany.

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4 5 6

7 8 9 7| building svalsat on plataberget mountain 8| dish antenna

9| eps ground station, command and data acquisition, blind-orbit support for usas

10 11 12 10| twin submarine communications cable which connects svalbard to the mainland of norway

11| building of the cable 12| landing point in

13| eps mission control centre, eumetsat headquarters, darmstadt 14| control room for geostationary missions 15| control room for low earth orbit missions

hotelnesset

3 1| metop: developed by esa and operated by eumetsat 2| second generation structural and test model 3| making ready for launch

2 4| svalsat station from above 5| eiscat satellite dish antenna 6| dish antenna for satellite communications (inside a dome)

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03 - CLOUD NETWORK DISCOVERING THE DIAGRAM

03 - CLOUD NETWORK

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the transmission of data has overturned the historical understanding of territory and sovereignty. it gives us the ability to get a global view, although individual nations still create it. the diagram makes this distribution visible and shows us the location of data collection points. the green lines show the fiber optic cable network under the ground, and the orange lines represent the satellites connected with svalbard’s satellite station. the combination highlights the presence and absence of information that creates the global divide between the connected and unconnected worlds. most of the collection points are situated around europe and north america. it indicates the exiting asymmetry between the global north and the global south.

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03 - CLOUD NETWORK The collection points on our earth define the possibility to access the collected data for research and weather stations. This animation shows the underground network as well as the satellite network. I redraw the global north-south divide line based on the actual amount of collection points.

03 - CLOUD NETWORK In Longybearden, the capital of Svalbard, a satellite station named Svalsat, is situated. The Svalsat station is the only commercial ground station that covers all-orbits of the earth. This covering is possible because of its location in the high North. Svalsat is owned by 50% by KSAT and 50% by the Norwegian space center. Svalsat is a critical point in the delivery of data from the satellite to the final user. Since it is the station where metOp satellite and satellites from NOAA are directly sending their data too, from Svalsat, it is then transferred to EUMETSAT headquarter and eventually to the users.

03 - CLOUD NETWORK This drawing explains how the observed data that is measured in Svalbard is collected and then transmitted around the world. Every 30 minutes an LEO coverage satellite flies over the north pole, at this moment the satellite can make radio communication with the ground station situated on Svalbard (more specific Longybaerden). The main task during this pass is to download the data the satellite collected while traveling around the planet. The received data is then sent via a fiber optic cable connection (green lines) or via a satellite ground-based network (orange lines) with dish antennas around the globe.

03 - CLOUD NETWORK DISCOVERING THE DIAGRAM

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METOP SATELLITE to find precisely how the delivery of data from the atmosphere to

Svalbard station plays in this travel of data, i zoomed in to one specific satellite, namely metOp. the final users happens and what role the

data from the metOp satellite is delivered to two main stations svalsat and mcmurdo. from there, it is transferred to eumetsat’s central station in darmstadt. to be able to collect the total coverage of data of the earth, metOp owned by eumetsat is collecting morning data, and

NOAA is collecting afternoon data. to have the NOAA and Eumetsat

best result of covering data of the earth,

together decided with some other partners to settle an agreement

IJPS. this agreement allows the users to collect data from NOAA satellites as well as metOP satellites. but in case of a crisis or war, this agreement stops. as a result, users from europe can only use metOp data and from america only NOAA data.

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TRAJECTORY OF DATA

i’m using svalbard, and in particular, the hopen and ny-Ålesund research bases as a model to explore and represent asymmetries of power. both stations represent hot spots and blind spots on a local scale, which is also shown in the diagrams on a global scale. this still of images detects the route a signal needs to take before it can connect to the network and eventually can be used. the global asymmetry, visible in the diagram, also exists in svalbard but is less hash since ny-Ålesund and hopen both have access to the main tools that are necessary to conduct the scientific activity. the main difference lies in the way they transfer their measured data. in the case of ny-Ålesund, the conducted measurements are sent out via three different routes; radio signals, fiber optic cables, and satellite signals. therefore, ny-Ålesund is part of the global infrastructure of relay points and provides the global system of information. hopen, on the other side, can only send out its measurements via radio signals, which means that they don’t provide the international network but only send signals to the system of norway. in this way,

Svalbard works as a countermodel of the exiting asymmetry i draw out with my diagrams. svalbard represents on a local scale that the divide between hotspots and blindspots is still exiting, but doesn’t have the same implications, then it has on a global scale.

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Ny-Ålesund, situated in the northwest of Svalbard, is a science town from primary importance since it is the only spot in the high

North where the

measured data fed continuously into global networks.

Ny-Ålesund hosts

laboratories and research facilities for several measurements, on sea level, as well as at altitude. the company King Bay establishes and develops the shared infrastructure of the town. Another key to its uniqueness is the accessibility of the settlement because of its high lati-

tude.

Ny-Ålesund can be reached easily

by boat, plane, helicopter, or scooter. easy access transformed the old mining community into an international research base, home to

35 scientists during 180 inhabi-

winter, and a maximum of

tants in summer. the scientists represent more than

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15 different nationalities.

on the other side of the spectrum, we

have hopen, which is a remote arctic

island in the south-east of

Svalbard.

during history, several meteorologi-

cal stations were established here. the current station is named hopen radio

9 buildings all to measure the weather. the only way to get there is by helicopter or by boat. unlike Ny-Ålesund, hopen doesn’t have permanent residents. temporary habiand consists out of

tation has been the norm throughout history. the station is home to

4 norwe-

gian inhabitants for six months at a time. the main focus of interest on hopen has always been scientific, but besides that, the activities that take place there are fishing, hiking, and skiing.

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04 - SVALBARD AS A MODEL INTRODUCTION

‘A GLOBAL VIEW IS THE HART OF THE WEATHER MACHINE ‘ ANDREW BLUM

‘Ny-alesund’ , international research community observation to know what happens everywhere

04 - INFRASTRUCTURE TO MEASURE THE WEATHER

although svalbard is a remote place in the arctic, the presence of the mining industry, allowed

Svalbard to develop from a mining island to a hub for scientific research in the high north. besides, the location of svalbard at 78° nord gives the archipelago an additional advantage. transformations resulting from climate change are twice as visible there as compared to the rest of the world. therefore several research stations are based here.

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7 8 9

10 11 12 10| rabot station 11| surface radiation measurements 12| measuremts send to the baseline surface radiation network (bsrn)

13| balloon house 14| chf measurement device 15| radiosonde launch: balloon-borne meteo-

and direction measured

social room

6 optical fibre detected by photo multiplier tubes

rological measurements

1| bluehouse 2| main station building awipev 3| base leader office, guest office, bedrooms,

3 4| atmospheric observatory 5| karl, the koldewey aerosol raman lidar 6| signals through

7| corbel station 8| awi meteorological tower 9| temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed

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04 - SVALBARD AS A MODEL DISCOVERING THE DIAGRAM

04 - SVALBARD AS A MODEL

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our current weather system is based on a global view. to find out how we can predict the weather, i zoomed in to one of the particular places on the earth where the weather is measured, namely svalbard. the weather is currently no longer described by only the conditions at one specific place, but it combines the measurement of several places to create weather patterns that are stretching thousands of miles. here we see that globalism is defining the system of the weather machine and makes it possible to create forecasts for all around the world. this system allows us to compensate observations for places in our world where there are fewer opportunities. this project uses svalbard, and in particular, two research stations located at ny-Ålesund (a settlement on the island of spitsbergen) and the island of hopen as a model by which to explore and represent asymmetries of power, from the global to the local scale. upon till now, old mines allowed svalbard to develop from a mining island to a hub for scientific research in the high north. besides, the location of svalbard at

78° north gives the archipelago an additional advantage. transformations

resulting from climate change are twice as visible there as compared to the rest of the world. therefore several research stations are based here. the diagram shows all stations based in svalbard. there are two types of stations, weather stations, owned by norway- and research stations, owned by international organizations. i researched for each station two questions: firstly: who owns the station? and secondly, how can one access the station? answering these questions will give me more insights into the asymmetry of power. as this asymmetry exists on a global scale, i believe it could also reflect on a local level. ny-Ålesund and hopen are both situated on the other side of the spectrum related to the characteristics that i used to define this asymmetry. the characteristics are knowledge, physical infrastructure, and geographic accessibility.

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04 - SVALBARD AS A MODEL Svalbard is located in the high North. This location makes that it is only accessible via a small number of ways. This detail shows the possible trajectories in which people can reach Svalbard.

04 - SVALBARD AS A MODEL AWIPEV station is one of the international stations located in Ny-Ålesund, owned by Germany and France. Ny-Ålesund is the international research base center of Svalbard. The station exists out of five buildings, and each building measures a different aspect of the weather. The diagram shows the buildings and purposes of each building situated in Ny-Ålesund.

04 - SVALBARD AS A MODEL CONCEPTS

EXTRACTIVE HISTORY

svalbard was and is an extractive site. it was invisible and lite-

rally unmapped till the point of the discovery of the richness of its surface. the development of infrastructure during the mining period gave svalbard the possibility to develop into a scientific hub for research. now svalbard, because of its specific location and investments in infrastructure, built models of the atmosphere. these models operate not only in svalbard but over the whole world, and in this way allows for weather engineering.

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MODELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE although svalbard is a remote place in the

Arctic, the presence of the mining

industry, allowed svalbard to develop from a mining island to a hub for scientific research in the high north. besides, the location of

Svalbard at 78° Nord

gives the archipelago an additional advantage. transformations resulting from climate change are twice as visible there as compared to the rest of the world. therefore several research stations are based here.

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082

ACCESSIBLILITY OF THE STATIONS

there are two types of stations, weather stations, owned by norway- and research stations, owned by international organizations. i researched for each station two questions: firstly: who owns the station? and secondly, how can

one access the station? these maps represent the difference in geographic accessibility between all the stations situated on

Svalbard.

Geographic accessibility is besides human knowledge and physical infrastructure, one of the characteristics that i used to define the asymmetry of power. 083

05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION INTRODUCTION

05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION - PLATFROM NY-ALESUND .

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the project creates an alternative form of observation, namely the complex stream of data sensing, projected on top of a traditional observation tower. the platform reconnects to the global maps in my research. it is a global observation platform that registers where the data is coming from or going to and who is using or sending these data. in the platform itself, you get the experience of being in a local place with a local landscape that directly surrounds to you combined with the global infosphere of data. this makes it possible to understand global dynamics by being in this remote part of our earth. each structure has a visual strength in the environment, relates to the traditional measuring tools used for science; only now it is a sign and a registration device at the same time. an instrument that makes people much more aware of their surroundings and questions or visualizes things that were always there. it introduces the idea of extraction processes of data measurements in svalbard and the difference in the amount of data transported to several countries of the world. it makes this idea partiof people’s consciousness, for the scientists in

Svalbard as well as for visitors.

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05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION DISCOVERING THE DIAGRAM

05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION

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the project provides a constellation of balloons around svalbard. at each station, weather stations as well as research stations, a balloon is positioned. the constellation gives an overview of the differences in info sharing between various locations in svalbard. create awareness of why svalbard is such an essential spot for atmospheric research. not only because of its position in the high north. also, because it is a preserved spot for scientific activity, the balloons record another layer of data, not related to measurements of the weather but to the extraction processes that take place around svalbard. this chain of balloons positioned on svalbard works as a template to show which parts of our earth we now see as not relevant or interesting. in history and now, we use a balloon with its sensors to measure the weather. the balloon provides the network with measured data to describe a global weather pattern. it transfers the data collected at a height to the ground. this project uses a balloon to look at the info that could not have been gotten in another way. besides, the balloon also has a visual strength in the environment, relates to the traditional measuring tools used for science; only now it is a sign and a registration device at the same time. an instrument that makes people much more aware of their surroundings and questions or visualizes things that were always there. it introduces the idea of extraction processes of data measurements in svalbard and the difference in the amount of data transported to several countries of the world. it makes this idea part of people’s consciousness, for the scientists in svalbard as well as for visitors. each balloon in the constellation collects different streams of data. this means that each balloon works in the same way but the differentiation between the platforms comes in what these balloons measure and consequentlialy what people can read there. in this way, this constellation of balloons is a system of the infrastructural network.

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05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION Svalbard is a hub for scientific research which let to the establishment of several weather and research stations. Each station is provided with a balloon in order to show the differences in info sharing between various places around Svalbard. This detail shows the distances between each of the balloons located on Svalbard

05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION The balloons change in altitude according the the amount of interventions. This detail explains the differences in amount of intervention between weather stations (orange) and research stations (brown).

05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION CONCEPTS

05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION - CONCEPT .

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the elevated platform gives a broader overview of the landscape that surrounds you. create a high framing of the scene. it gives you the experience of standing on a floating platform placed in nature. it is a lightweight structure with the appearance of a traditional observation tower. (a frequent construction in the high north since several measurements related to the climate are done in this part of the world) the platform consists of galvanized iron and

PE sheets. this com-

bination is often used in the environment and creates, in this way, subtle mutual relationships with other structures in the environment. the platform provides energy and also a stable anchor point for the entire structure.

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05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION - ALTITUDE OF THE BALLOONS

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the cycle of the waves that are collected by the balloon defines the height position of the balloon. there are three situations; hotspot, extraction processes from around the whole world, blindspot, no interaction with the network, national hotspot, only interactions with the other balloons in svalbard.

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05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION - INFOSPHERE PROJECTION

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the panoramic projection shows the extraction pocesses related to a place. the projection creates a border between you and the surrounding landscape. this border makes us aware that a emmersive desolate landscape surrounds us but at the same time, we are still surrounded by an extensive network of extraction processes of data from international as well as from national organizations. in this way the projection creates a juxtaposition of the optical landscape (what you just see) and the data waves on the platform.

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05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION - GEOGRAPHIC STROLL AROUND SVALBARD

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the balloons seek a way to visualize the extraction processes that define or influence asymmetries of power. the path of the balloon captures a simultaneity of interferences with the network and a

Svalbard. to locate the signal a horizontal panel provides annotations of the involved nations.

geographic position above an area in

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05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION - BALLOON SENSING

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the amount of interventions with the network is registered by a balloon. antennas are attached to this balloon to register the wavelength and frequency. the measurements of the antennas are

RF receiver. this device 3khz and 300ghz. it translates the wavelength and frequency into 3 factors.

sent back with a fiber optic cable to a hack

is continuously scanning the spectrum between

- wavelength; defines the type of wave, radio, or micro. - intervention type and who extracts data - with which device or the number of times depends on the frequency band since all the signals in svalbard are required open source for research, it is possible to annotate from where each signal is coming.

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05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION - ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS

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05 - BALLOON CONSTELLATION - ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS

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the interventions in the network are visible in the skin of the platform via light sources. every time there is an intervention, other light sources lit up. every intervention creates a moment of frac-

ture in the network as well as in the skin of the platform. so, the interaction processes are not only visible on the platform itself but also when you are standing on a distance and looking at the structure. the intensity of light informs the number of interferences. the structure reflects the existing atmospheric conditions on

the Island. on sunny days the transparent surface with projection will mirror the sky and render the structure and projection almost

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the global maps in my research reconnect to the balloon constellation. they allow us to understand global dynamics from the starting point of this remote part of our earth. the project creates an alternative form of observation, namely the complex stream of data sensing, projected on top of a traditional observation tower.

You get the experience of

being on the platform in a local place with a local landscape that directly surrounds to you combined with the global infosphere of data.