worldmonitor/docs/hotspots.mdx

---
title: "Hotspots & Navigation"
description: "Dynamic hotspot detection with real-time activity scoring, regional focus navigation presets, and map pinning for persistent monitoring."
---
WorldMonitor uses real-time news correlation to detect and visualize global hotspots, provides regional focus presets for rapid context switching, and supports map pinning for persistent monitoring workflows.

## Dynamic Hotspot Activity

Hotspots on the map are **not static threat levels**. Activity is calculated in real-time based on news correlation.

Each hotspot defines keywords:
```typescript
{
  id: 'dc',
  name: 'DC',
  keywords: ['pentagon', 'white house', 'congress', 'cia', 'nsa', ...],
  agencies: ['Pentagon', 'CIA', 'NSA', 'State Dept'],
}
```

The system counts matching news articles in the current feed, applies velocity analysis, and assigns activity levels:

| Level | Criteria | Visual |
|-------|----------|--------|
| **Low** | <3 matches, normal velocity | Gray marker |
| **Elevated** | 3-6 matches OR elevated velocity | Yellow pulse |
| **High** | >6 matches OR spike velocity | Red pulse |

This creates a dynamic "heat map" of global attention based on live news flow.

### Hotspot Escalation Signals

Beyond visual activity levels, the system generates **escalation signals** when hotspots show significant changes across multiple dimensions. This multi-component approach reduces false positives by requiring corroboration from independent data streams.

**Escalation Components**

Each hotspot's escalation score blends four weighted components:

| Component | Weight | Data Source | What It Measures |
|-----------|--------|-------------|------------------|
| **News Activity** | 35% | RSS feeds | Matching news count, breaking flags, velocity |
| **CII Contribution** | 25% | Country Instability Index | Instability score of associated country |
| **Geographic Convergence** | 25% | Multi-source events | Event type diversity in geographic cell |
| **Military Activity** | 15% | OpenSky/AIS | Flights and vessels within 200km |

**Score Calculation**

```
static_baseline = hotspot.baselineRisk  // 1-5 per hotspot
dynamic_score = (
  news_component × 0.35 +
  cii_component × 0.25 +
  geo_component × 0.25 +
  military_component × 0.15
)
proximity_boost = hotspot_proximity_multiplier  // 1.0-2.0

final_score = (static_baseline × 0.30 + dynamic_score × 0.70) × proximity_boost
```

**Trend Detection**

The system maintains 48-point history (24 hours at 30-minute intervals) per hotspot:

- **Linear regression** calculates slope of recent scores
- **Rising**: Slope > +0.1 points per interval
- **Falling**: Slope < -0.1 points per interval
- **Stable**: Slope within ±0.1

**Signal Generation**

Escalation signals (`hotspot_escalation`) are emitted when:

1. Final score exceeds threshold (typically 60)
2. At least 2 hours since last signal for this hotspot (cooldown)
3. Trend is rising or score is critical (>80)

**Signal Context**

| Field | Content |
|-------|---------|
| **Why It Matters** | "Geopolitical hotspot showing significant escalation based on news activity, country instability, geographic convergence, and military presence" |
| **Actionable Insight** | "Increase monitoring priority; assess downstream impacts on infrastructure, markets, and regional stability" |
| **Confidence Note** | "Weighted by multiple data sources—news (35%), CII (25%), geo-convergence (25%), military (15%)" |

This multi-signal approach means a hotspot escalation signal represents **corroborated evidence** across independent data streams, not just a spike in news mentions.

## Regional Focus Navigation

The FOCUS selector in the header provides instant navigation to strategic regions. Each preset is calibrated to center on the region's geographic area with an appropriate zoom level.

### Available Regions

| Region | Coverage | Primary Use Cases |
|--------|----------|-------------------|
| **Global** | Full world view | Overview, cross-regional comparison |
| **Americas** | North America focus | US monitoring, NORAD activity |
| **Europe** | EU + UK + Scandinavia + Western Russia | NATO activity, energy infrastructure |
| **MENA** | Middle East + North Africa | Conflict zones, oil infrastructure |
| **Asia** | East Asia + Southeast Asia | China-Taiwan, Korean peninsula |
| **Latin America** | Central + South America | Regional instability, drug trafficking |
| **Africa** | Sub-Saharan Africa | Conflict zones, resource extraction |
| **Oceania** | Australia + Pacific | Indo-Pacific activity |

### Quick Navigation

The FOCUS dropdown enables rapid context switching:

1. **Breaking news** - Jump to the affected region
2. **Regional briefing** - Cycle through regions for situational awareness
3. **Crisis monitoring** - Lock onto a specific theater

Regional views are encoded in shareable URLs, enabling direct links to specific geographic contexts.

## Map Pinning

By default, the map scrolls with the page, allowing you to scroll down to view panels below. The **pin button** in the map header toggles sticky behavior:

| State | Behavior |
|-------|----------|
| **Unpinned** (default) | Map scrolls with page; scroll down to see panels |
| **Pinned** | Map stays fixed at top; panels scroll beneath |

### When to Pin

- **Active monitoring** - Keep the map visible while reading news panels
- **Cross-referencing** - Compare map markers with panel data
- **Presentation** - Show the map while discussing panel content

### When to Unpin

- **Panel focus** - Read through panels without map taking screen space
- **Mobile** - Pin is disabled on mobile for better space utilization
- **Research** - Focus on data panels without geographic distraction

Pin state persists across sessions via localStorage.