Distributed Computing for the Extremes: What We Learned in the Circumpolar North.
Invited Lecture, MIPRO 2026 - 49th Convention. SSE - Software and Systems Engineering., Opatija, Croatia.
The remoteness of the circumpolar north brings challenges and opportunities for distributed computing and its applications. The circumpolar north is typically defined as the Arctic Circle and surrounding Arctic Ocean territories in eight Arctic regions/nations: Alaska (United States), Canada, Finland, Greenland (Denmark), Iceland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. Characterized by unpredictable weather, climate extremes, and remoteness, these Arctic regions demand better infrastructure and computing resources to serve their communities. Until recently, many of these rural Arctic communities lacked stable Internet access. However, the growing reach of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks, such as Starlink, has made the Internet accessible and more affordable to circumpolar communities. While capital expenses for setting up the LEO satellite network access for end-user Internet access still remain largely unaffordable for many end-users, it has already been useful for organizations such as community clinics. Furthermore, it is expected that such installation and operational costs will become more affordable for more communities over time.