## 1 Introduction  
The Arctic region, which encompasses vast and remote expanses, is known for its extreme climate, limited infrastructure, and unique challenges in communication. Communities in Canada's Arctic and Northern territories, which make up nearly 40% of the country's landmass, often face significant obstacles in maintaining reliable connectivity due to a lack of robust satellite networks [1, 2]. Traditional communication methods are often unreliable, expensive, or nonexistent, hindering scientific research, emergency response, and the daily lives of residents [3]. Satellite communications have been proposed as viable options to bridge this gap, offering broadband services to rural and remote regions [4, 5]. Current communication systems, predominantly based on geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellites, struggle to provide comprehensive coverage in polar regions [6, 7, 8]. These limitations result in frequent service interruptions and connectivity gaps, affecting both daily life and critical scientific operations [9, 10, 11, 12]. These connectivity challenges particularly impact polar research activities, ranging from atmospheric studies to marine biology. Reliable communication equipment is essential for ensuring the safety and success of operations in these remote environments. However, the Arctic presents unique obstacles: high-frequency (HF) radios often suffer from interference, electromagnetic interference (EMI) can disrupt experiments, and existing satellite communications are not always reliable due to limited bandwidth and high costs [13; 14]. Despite the sparse population of the Arctic, which reduces anthropogenic radio noise, EMI remains a significant factor for sensitive radio-signal experiments conducted in the region [13]. The situation is exacerbated by the high cost and slow speeds of available satellite links, as highlighted by recent studies on Arctic connectivity [10]. Emerging satellite technologies, particularly low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations, offer promising solutions to address these gaps [15]. Systems such as SpaceX's Starlink and OneWeb are transforming connectivity in polar regions by deploying LEO satellites in highly elliptical orbits. These networks provide a low-latency, high-speed Internet, making them suitable for civilian and military applications. For instance, a 2023 U.S. Air Force test confirmed Starlink's reliability and performance under Arctic conditions, enabling vital communication for environmental monitoring and tactical operations [16; 17; 18]. However, coverage remains inconsistent, as illustrated in Figure 1, which depicts the limited number of Starlink satellites over the Arctic compared with other regions [19]. Although LEO constellations are a step forward, small-satellite networks optimized for the Internet of Things (IoT) represent a groundbreaking approach to Arctic connectivity [20; 21; 22; 23]. These networks prioritize low-power, low-data-rate transmissions, enabling cost-effective and efficient communication for IoT devices deployed in remote regions [24; 25]. The SWARM satellite constellation exemplifies this approach, providing affordable global IoT connectivity through a compact network of satellites. Unlike traditional GEO or even other LEO systems, SWARM is designed to support IoT applications such as environmental monitoring, resource management, and scientific research in isolated areas [24; 26; 27; 28]. This paper investigates the SWARM satellite constellation as a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution for Arctic communication. SWARM addresses critical connectivity gaps by enabling seamless data transmission for IoT devices, supporting local communities and scientific endeavors. The unique design and integration of the system with IoT ecosystems make it a promising alternative to traditional satellite networks for addressing the Arctic's communication needs [29; 30].