Situated between the village of Qaanaaq and the local airport, the IS18 is the northernmost infrasound station in the International Monitoring System (IMS). This high-tech device is tasked with observing the globe for evidence of atomic blasts. With the capacity to detect sounds that range from a frequency of 20 Hz to 0.001 Hz, the highly sensitive apparatus keeps a close check on the earth's inaudible groans. Besides atomic blasts, the sensor also tracks earthquakes and petroleum deposits, as well as engages in ballistocardiography. Accessible only by helicopter, with a population that still adheres to a traditional way of life, Qaanaaq may seem like an odd choice for such advanced technologies. However, it is the inaccessibility of this location that makes it so apt a location.
Situated between the village of Qaanaaq and the local airport, the IS18 is the northernmost infrasound station in the International Monitoring System (IMS). This high-tech device is tasked with observing the globe for evidence of atomic blasts. With the capacity to detect sounds that range from a frequency of 20 Hz to 0.001 Hz, the highly sensitive apparatus keeps a close check on the earth's inaudible groans. Besides atomic blasts, the sensor also tracks earthquakes and petroleum deposits, as well as engages in ballistocardiography. Accessible only by helicopter, with a population that still adheres to a traditional way of life, Qaanaaq may seem like an odd choice for such advanced technologies. However, it is the inaccessibility of this location that makes it so apt a location.