ARM Data Flowing Again From Alaska After Cable Cut

Published: 17 August 2023

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility has restored data transmission from its North Slope of Alaska (NSA) atmospheric observatory to the ARM Data Center.

After an undersea fiber optic cable was severed in June, disrupting telecommunications service along the North Slope, ARM and many other customers in the region turned to Starlink satellite internet. ARM’s Starlink receiver took a few weeks to be shipped and installed, but ARM continued to collect data during that time, and no data were lost.

The Starlink is working very well for all data communications. However, the NSA is still experiencing some issues with landline phones and cell service. If you need to communicate with the site, please use both email and phones.

A repair vessel is traveling from Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands to Oliktok Point, where the fiber was cut. The repair will likely take up to a week.

Please contact NSA Manager Andy Glen if you have questions.