Geomagnetically Induced Currents During Magnetic

The electric field which is induced by geomagnetic storms drives currents in technological systems, such as electric power transmission grids, oil and gas pipelines, telecommunication cables, and railway equipment. These geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) cause problems to the systems. In power grids, transformers may be saturated due to GIC resulting in harmful effects and possibly even to a collapse of the whole system, as occurred in Quebec in March 1989. Transformers may also suffer from permanent damage. In buried pipelines, GIC can enhance corrosion and interfere with corrosion control surveys. Telecommunication systems as well as railway equipment may also malfunction due to GIC. The electric and magnetic fields observed at the Earth's surface primarily depend on magnetospheric-ionospheric currents and secondarily on currents induced in the Earth. The physical background and modeling of GIC are discussed in this paper. Special attention is paid to basic principles necessarily understood to get an insight into GIC phenomena. Recent developments in the use of the Complex Image Method (CIM) permit fast and accurate computations of the electric field suitable for time-critical applications like GIC forecasting.

[1]  David H. Boteler,et al.  The complex-image method for calculating the magnetic and electric fields produced at the surface of the Earth by the auroral electrojet , 1998 .

[2]  V. Albertson,et al.  Bracing for the geomagnetic storms , 1990, IEEE Spectrum.

[3]  R. Pirjola,et al.  Currents produced in the Finnish 400 kV power transmission grid and in the Finnish natural gas pipeline by geomagnetically-induced electric fields , 1985 .

[4]  R. Pirjola,et al.  Currents produced in earthed conductor networks by geomagnetically-induced electric fields , 1985 .

[5]  L. N. Hannett,et al.  Geomagnetic effects modelling for the PJM interconnection system. II. Geomagnetically induced current study results , 1992 .

[6]  R. Pirjola,et al.  Modeling geomagnetically induced currents during different ionospheric situations , 1999 .

[7]  Risto Pirjola,et al.  On Geomagnetically-Induced Currents in the Finnish 400 kV Power System by an Auroral Electroject Current , 1989, IEEE Power Engineering Review.

[8]  D. Boteler,et al.  A study of geoelectromagnetic disturbances in Quebec. I. General results , 1998 .

[9]  J. T. Weaver,et al.  The complex image approximation for induction in a multilayered Earth , 1975 .

[10]  R. Pirjola,et al.  Electromagnetic Field Caused by an Auroral Electrojet Current System Model , 1991 .

[11]  J. Lemay,et al.  Directional sensitivity to geomagnetically induced currents of the Hydro-Quebec 735 kV power system , 1994 .

[12]  Pekka Janhunen,et al.  GUMICS-3 A Global Ionosphere-Magnetosphere Coupling Simulation with High Ionospheric Resolution , 1996 .

[13]  Ari Viljanen,et al.  The Relation Between Geomagnetic Variations and Their Time Derivatives and Implications for Estimation of Induction Risks , 1997 .

[14]  N. Mohan,et al.  Load-Flow Studies in the Presence of Geomagnetically-Induced Currents , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems.

[15]  Risto Pirjola,et al.  Complex image method for calculating electric and magnetic fields produced by an auroral electrojet of finite length , 1998 .

[16]  D. Boteler.  Geomagnetic Effects on the Pipe-To-Soil Potentials of A Continental Pipeline , 2000 .

[17]  R. Pirjola,et al.  Geomagnetic Induction in the Finnish 400 KV Power System , 1991 .

[18]  James R. Wait,et al.  On the image representation of the quasi-static fields of a line current source above the ground , 1969 .

[19]  D. Boteler,et al.  Prediction of geomagnetically induced currents in power transmission systems , 2000 .

[20]  L. Lanzerotti,et al.  Outage of the l4 system and the geomagnetic disturbances of 4 august 1972 , 1974 .

[21]  Carol G. Maclennan,et al.  Studies of large-scale earth potentials across oceanic distances , 1995, AT&T Technical Journal.

[22]  W. Feero,et al.  Workshop focuses on space weather's impact on electric power , 1997 .

[23]  David Boteler,et al.  The effects of geomagnetic disturbances on electrical systems at the earth's surface , 1998 .

[24]  A. Viljanen,et al.  Geomagnetically induced currents in the Finnish high-voltage power system , 1994 .

[25]  A. Viljanen,et al.  Relation of geomagnetically induced currents and local geomagnetic variations , 1998 .

[26]  D. H. Boteler,et al.  Modelling geomagnetically induced currents produced by realistic and uniform electric fields , 1998 .

[27]  Ismo V. Lindell,et al.  Methods for Electromagnetic Field Analysis , 1992 .

[28]  J.G. Kappenman,et al.  Geomagnetic Storms and Their Impact on Power Systems , 1996, IEEE Power Engineering Review.