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Space Weather Web Server |
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Power and Pipelines (Ground Systems)
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The dynamical space environment may even be felt at home. Power-line failures and corrosion effetcs observed in pipelines on Earth may be the direct result of Space Weather induced effects! Pipelines suffer from corrosion effects since geomagnetically induced currents when flowing from the pipe into the soil may increase the corrosion rate. The associated voltage can disturb pipeline surveys and the cathodic protection. |
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The most well-known effect of a geo-magnetic storm was when
geomagnetically induced currents caused a black-out for about nine
hours in the province of Quebec in March
1989. Furthermore a transformer in the USA was destroyed in this
storm. For more information about Space Weather effects on power
systems, see (Lund Space Weather Center introduction).
Lessons learned from Solar Cycle 22 concerning geomagnetic storms and impacts on power systems can help us in reference to the upcoming Solar Cycle 23.
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