Power and Pipelines (Ground Systems)
|
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.
|
 |
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.
[Back to Applications Page]
|