in 1947 canada and the united states built a weather station, resolute weather station, and an airstrip as part of the joint arctic weather stations, known today as the high arctic weather stations. this was followed in 1949 by a royal canadian air force base, rcaf station resolute bay. at that time the population was made up of military personnel and specialists, such as meteorologists, from the south. today the base serves as a starting point for arctic research and access to both the north pole and the north magnetic pole.