HAARP research program's transition from media sensation to scientific focus

The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP), located near Gakona, Alaska, has seen a significant decline in mainstream media coverage compared to the early 2010s. During that period, the project was frequently the subject of public speculation and conspiracy theories, with allegations suggesting it could manipulate weather, trigger natural disasters, or influence human behavior.

Scientifically, HAARP was established in 1993 as a joint project involving the US Air Force, the US Navy, and the University of Alaska. Its primary function is to use the Ionospheric Research Instrument (IRI), a network of 180 antennas, to transmit high-frequency radio waves into the ionosphere. This research aims to study ionospheric behavior under solar radiation to improve communication and navigation systems, such as GPS, and enhance underwater communication for submarines.

Physicists note that HAARP's signals target the ionosphere, located between 60 and 1,000 kilometers above Earth, whereas weather occurs much lower in the troposphere. The energy emitted by the facility is considered too weak and localized to impact global climate systems or tectonic plates.