Modelling of space weather effects on pipelines

The interaction between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetic field produces time varying currents in the ionosphere and magnetosphere. The currents cause variations of the geomagnetic field at the surface of the earth and induce an electric field which drives currents in oil and gas pipelines and other long conductors. Geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) interfere with electrical surveys of pipelines and possibly contribute to pipeline corrosion.In this paper, we introduce a general method which can be used to determine voltage and current profiles for buried pipelines, when the external geoelectric field and the geometry and electromagnetic properties of the pipeline are known. The method is based on the analogy between pipelines and transmission lines, which makes it possible to use the distributed source transmission line (DSTL) theory. The general equations derived for the current and voltage profiles are applied in special cases. A particular attention is paid to the Finnish natural gas pipeline network.This paper, related to a project about GIC in the Finnish pipeline, thus provides a tool for understanding space weather effects on pipelines. Combined with methods of calculating the geoelectric field during magnetic storms, the results are applicable to forecasting of geomagnetically induced currents and voltages on pipelines in the future.     

Geomagnetically induced currents in the Finnish high-voltage power system

We consider geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) in power systems from the viewpoint of a geophysicist. Special attention is paid to the Finnish high-voltage power system, in which exact theoretical model calculations together with recordings have been performed for several years. We present several examples of theoretically computed GICs using different geophysical models for estimating the geoelectric field driving GICs. Statistical prediction of GICs is outlined referring to studies made in Finland. We show that a combination of GIC recordings at few sites with theoretical modelling of ionospheric currents and the earth's conductivity, and data of geomagnetic activity makes it possible to derive GIC statistics of the entire power system. Finally, we discuss requirements for a long-range prediction of GICs, which will obviously be a widely-studied topic in future.     

Long-term stability of a torque-balance variometer with photoelectric converters in observatory practice

Conventional magnetometers of the Bobrov type were equipped with photoelectric converters and feedback loops having a feedback factor of 1000. Tests made at the Belsk and Nurmijärvi Observatories demonstrated that: (a) the long-term stability of the base-line values was the same or better than that in conventional magnetometers (e.g. at Nurmijärvi), i.e. the changes were less than 0.5 nT a month; (b) the short-term stability was the same as in the conventional magnetometers: (c) the reliability of the instrument was good, the time between failures in the instruments tested being more than a year: (d) the same instruments can be used simultaneously for normal recording and for recording magnetic pulsations.     

Public participation in monitoring programmes as a tool for lakeshore monitoring: the example of Lake Pyhäjärvi, Karelia, Eastern Finland

Lake Pyhäjärvi, on the border between Finland and Russia in Karelia, is a very valuable clear-water lake of the Lobelia type. It belongs to the European Union's Natura 2000 programme in Finland, and has been included in regional and national monitoring programmes since the 1960s. The main monitoring station is situated near the outlet of the lake. Deterioration of its water quality was suspected already in the 1980s because of decreasing Secchi depths (transparency) and increasing chlorophyll a.The occurrence of algal blooms on the lakeshores is monitored weekly during each summer at one site on Lake Pyhäjärvi (site 1). This is a part of nationwide intensive algae monitoring programme organised by the environmental authorities together with voluntary observers at some 270 lake sites in Finland since 1998. Since 1997, Secchi depth observations have been carried out by volunteers biweekly or monthly at 17 sites on the lake. In the vicinity of one of these transparency observation sites (station 100), intensive monitoring of algae has been carried out. At this lakeshore monitoring site 69 algal observations were made, ten of which recorded algal blooms during the study period 1998–2002. The observed algal blooms were caused by algae of the Anabaena species, mainly by Anabaena lemmermannii. At Lake Pyhäjärvi the number of algal bloom observations received from the public have decreased from the 1990s to the 2000s. The range of Secchi disc transparency was 5.0–8.4 m with a mean value of 6.2 m at station 100 and 4.3–7.7 m (mean 6.1 m) at the main monitoring station 2 during the open water periods in 1998–2002. During this study period, the maximum values at site 100 seem to have increased slightly, which might indicate some improvement in the water quality due to decreased point source loading.We conclude that the intensive algal monitoring results of 5 years at the lakeshore site and the transparency results — both compiled by trained volunteers — reflect an improvement in the state of Lake Pyhäjärvi in Karelia. This conclusion is in accordance with the long-term water quality and short-core studies of sedimentary diatoms in Lake Pyhäjärvi. We suggest that the intensive algal observations and transparency measurements are both suitable methods for the monitoring of lakeshores and lakes, and that both are suitable for voluntary monitoring. We found public participation a good tool for monitoring lakes and lakeshores.     

Calculation of geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) in a high-voltage electric power transmission system and estimation of effects of overhead shield wires on GIC modelling

Geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) flowing in ground-based technological networks, such as electric power transmission grids, are the ground end of the space weather chain originating from the Sun. GIC constitute a possible source of problems to the system. Matrix formulas enabling the calculation of GIC in a power grid have been presented before. In this paper, we summarise the formulas and also express them in an alternative form that includes the (geo)voltages driving GIC during a space weather event more explicitly. An issue usually ignored in GIC modelling is the effect of overhead shield wires protecting a power grid and generally earthed at the towers. By numerical examples, it is shown in this paper that such neglect causes an insignificant error in comparison with other inaccuracies involved in GIC modelling and is thus really acceptable in practice.     

Fundamentals about the flow of geomagnetically induced currents in a power system applicable to estimating space weather risks and designing remedies

Geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) in technological systems, like electric power transmission grids, at the Earth's surface are caused by space weather processes, whose origin is in the Sun. In power systems, transformers may be saturated due to GIC leading to different problems extending from an increase of harmonics to a blackout of the system and damage of transformers. To design reasonable measures against impending problems, GIC magnitudes in the network should be estimated in different circumstances. This paper tackles basic features of GIC flow in a fictitious five-transformer/four-line power system, which is simple enough to make the equations easily manageable but complex enough to yield real and usable information. It is shown that the direction of the geoelectric field affects GIC at different sites but the dependence is not straightforward since GIC produced in one part of the system flows to others. Generally, transmission lines experience much larger GIC than transformers. Series capacitors in transmission lines prevent the flow of dc-like GIC but, without a careful analysis, their installation may result in larger GIC at some transformers of the system thus increasing the risk of problems.     

地磁感应电流（GIC）的作用与评估

地磁感应电流（GIC）可能对各种人工长距离导电体造成影响与危害.地磁扰动产生的感应电场的强度与地磁场强度、地下电阻率结构相关，在导电系统内生成的GIC的强度则同时与导电系统的内在结构有关.计算了加拿大Manitoba省三个典型地区在2000年7月15日的一个强烈磁暴期间产生的感应电场.通过对地磁活动性的统计分析，估计加拿大魁北克电网可能经受的最大GIC达每相78A（一年一次）和234A（每十年一次）.     

Review On The Calculation Of Surface Electric And Magnetic Fields And Of Geomagnetically Induced Currents In Ground-Based Technological Systems

Space weather is a popular and important research topic today. Its origin isin the Sun. Space weather effects extend to the surface of the Earth where theyare usually called GIC referring to geomagnetically induced currents intechnological systems such as electric power transmission grids, oil and gaspipelines, telecommunication cables and railway equipment. GIC are a possiblesource of problems within such systems, and observations have been made sincethe first telegraph systems in the 1800's. This paper is a summary and reviewof present knowledge and of possibilities of modelling GIC in a system.Modelling efforts require a determination of the electric field occurring inconnection with a magnetic storm at the Earth's surface and a calculation ofthe resulting GIC. Different modelling techniques of the electric and magneticfields are evaluated in this paper, and special attention is paid to thecomplex image method (CIM) which is suitable for time-critical purposes likeforecasting of GIC. A discretely-earthed power system and a buried pipelineneed different calculation methods of GIC. The former can be treated by amatrix formalism while the distributed-source transmission line (DSTL) theoryis applicable to the latter.     

华北地区地电暴时GIC及涡旋电流响应分析

通过地电场台址近地表介质电阻率和地电场值计算大地电流,从大地电流场中分离出涡旋电流;根据平面波理论和水平导电层模型,使用地磁暴观测数据在频率域计算地磁感应电场(GIE),由GIE计算地磁暴感应电流(GIC).计算结果与实测值对比分析表明:GIE计算结果与实测地电暴具有很好的相位一致性;GIC涡旋中心相对地电暴涡旋中心存在向SE漂移约3°的现象;磁暴时地磁场Z分量的幅值分布图中极大值区域与涡旋中心重合,可能是GIC涡旋中心偏移的原因.另外,根据电磁感应原理提出的等效环电流模型,在一定程度上解释了涡旋大地电流的形成机制.本项工作可应用于地磁观测与地电观测的相互校正,同时有助于认识地电暴对大地电流分布的影响.     

Geometry of risk analysis (morphogenetic system)

We know that risk analysis is based on the estimation of catastrophic events. Now to obtain a good estimation we must create suitable model of the risk. With samples of data we can use different mathematical models as linear or non linear regression methods, neural network methods, genetic methods and more recent hybrid models consisting of the information diffusion approximate reasoning method and back propagation neural network. In this paper, we present a new frame-work denoted morphogenetic system to study risk analysis. We show that morphogenetic system is a generalization of the tensor calculus used to formalize the non Euclidean geometrical representation. Now, we take suggestion from the electrical circuit analysis to create the morphogenetic model for the estimation. In the electrical circuit, we have the vector of voltages and vector of currents. The relation between voltages and currents is given by Ohms rule and the impedance matrix. The relation is a multi input and multi output (MIMO) system given a set of samples for voltages and currents we can estimate the impedance matrix of the circuit. Now, we know that the electrical circuit is controlled by a limited set of voltage or current sources. The aim of this papers is to give the rule by which from arbitrary voltages in the circuit we compute the voltage sources and also the associated current sources. We also give the method to compute the currents by the current sources and also the voltages by the impedance matrix. All the process from arbitrary voltages, voltage sources, current sources, current in the circuit and voltage in the circuit is denoted the projection operator in the morphogenetic system. Electrical circuits are a prototype of the morphogenetic system. We show that fuzzy inferential processes can be modeled by morphogenetic systems to improve models to estimate risks.     

大地电导率横向突变处磁暴感应地电场的邻近效应

大地电性结构的横向变化会对磁暴时的感应地电流和地面电磁场产生影响.本文假设扰动地磁场变化的源为地面以上一定高度的面电流,以某一典型层状大地电导率结构为基础,构造含有电导率横向突变的地电模型.针对感应电流的方向与横向分界面平行的情形,采用伽辽金有限元法对电导率横向突变处的感应地电场进行了分析,揭示了电导率横向差异产生的趋肤效应和邻近效应的机理,针对与电性结构分界面平行的输电线路,从评估地磁感应电流的角度讨论了影响的严重程度和范围.     

Method of characteristics in spherical geometry applied to a Harang-discontinuity situation

The method of characteristics for obtaining spatial distributions of ionospheric electrodynamic parameters from ground-based spatial observations of the ground magnetic disturbance and the ionospheric electric field is presented in spherical geometry. The method includes tools for separation of the external magnetic disturbance, its continuation to the ionosphere, and calculation of ionospheric equivalent currents. Based on these and the measured electric field distribution, the ionospheric Hall conductance is calculated as the primary output of the method. By estimating the Hall- to-Pedersen conductance ratio distribution, the remaining ionospheric electrodynamic parameters are inferred. The method does not assume = 0 to allow to study time-dependent situations. The application of this method to a Harang discontinuity (HD) situation on 27 October 1977, 17:39 UT, reveals the following: (1) The conductances at and north of the HD are clearly reduced as compared to the eastern electrojet region. (2) Plasma flow across the HD is observed, but almost all horizontal current is diverted into upward-flowing field-aligned currents (FACs) there. (3) The FACs connected to the Hall currents form a latitudinally aligned sheet with a magnitude peak between the electrically and magnetically defined HD, where break-up arcs are often observed. Their magnitude is larger than that of the more uniformly distributed FACs connected to the Pedersen currents. They also cause the southward shift of the magnetically defined HD with respect to the electrically defined one. (4) A tilt of the HD with respect to geomagnetic latitude as proposed by an earlier study on the same event, which used composite vector plot technique, and by statistical studies, is not observed in our single time-step analysis.Also at: Finnish Meteorological Institute, Geophysical Research, P.O. Box 503, FIN-00101 Helsinki, Finland.     

Daily variation of geomagnetic activity

Summary Two methods to investigate the daily variation of geomagnetic activity are shortly described, one using the Bartels' Q-Index, the other based on statistical treatment of hourly means. As an example values from the Sodankylä station are used, with comparison to Nurmijärvi and College data. The main results are:In the auroral zone there are two daily maxima of activity, the principal one two or three hours after local magnetic midnight a secondary one in the afternoon. The time of midnight maximum is determined by the magnetic coordinates; in the afternoon maximum the ionospheric ionization, and thus the geographic time, is involved.At the middle latitudes the daily variation is more irregular; whereas in the auroral zone there is but little difference between horizontal and vertical components, at middle latitudes the vertical component shows more resemblance with auroral zone variation.

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Die tägliche Variation der erdmagnetischen Aktivität

Zusammenfassung Zwei verschiedene Methoden die tägliche Variation der geomagnetischen Aktivität zu untersuchen werden kurz beschrieben. Eine gründet sich auf den Bartels'schen Q-Index, die andere auf statistische Behandlung der stündlichen Mittelwerte. Als Beispiel werden Resultate von Sodankylä gegeben, verglichen mit denen von Nurmijärvi und College. Die Hauptresultate sind:In der Nordlichtzone gibt es zwei tägliche Maxima: Hauptmaximum zwei oder drei Stunden nach der lokalen magnetischen Mitternacht, das zweite am Nachmittag. Der Zeitpunkt des Nachtmaximums folgt dem magnetischen Koordinatensystem; am Nachmittag spielt die ionosphärische Ionosation, und dadruch die Ortszeit, eine Rolle.In den mittleren Breiten ist die tägliche Variation unregelmäßiger. Während z. B. in der Nordlichtzone die horizontale und vertikale Komponente ziemlich gleichen Gang zeigen, ähnelt der Gang der Vertikalkomponente in mittleren Breiten mehr dem in der Nordlichtzone.

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Variation diurne de l'activité géomagnétique

Résumé Cette publication décrit brièvement deux méthodes d'investigation de la variation diurne de l'activité géomagnétique. La première utilise l'indice Q de Bartels, la seconde est basée sur le traitement statistique des moyennes horaires. Des valeurs provenant de la station de Sodankylä sont utilisées à titre d'exemple, ainsi que des comparaisons avec les données de Nurmijärvi et du Collège. Les principaux résultats se présentent ainsi:Dans la zone aurorale, on observe deux maxima d'activité quotidiens, le plus important deux ou trois heures après le minuit magnétique local et le second dans l'après-midi. L'instant du maximum de minuit est déterminé par les coordonnées magnétiques; l'ionisation ionosphérique, par conséquent le temps géographique, intervient dans le maximum de l'aprés-midi.La variation diurne est plus irrégulière aux latitudes moyennes; tandis que dans la zone aurorale il n'y a que peu de différence entre les composantes horizontale et verticale, dans les latitudes moyennes, la composante verticale semble mieux correlée aux variations de la zone aurorale.

     

Induction of auroral zone electric currents within the Alaska pipeline

The Alaskar pipeline is a highly conducting anomaly extending 800 miles (1300 km) from about 62° to 69° geomagnetic latitude beneath the most active regions of the ionospheric electrojet current. The spectral behavior of the magnetic field from this current was analyzed using data from standard geomagnetic observatories to establish the predictable patterns of temporal and spatial changes for field pulsation periods between 5 min and 4 hr. Such behavior is presented in a series of tables, graphs and formulae. Using 2- and 3-layer models of the conducting earth, the induced electric fields associated with the geomagnetic changes were established. From the direct relationship of the current to the geomagnetic field variation patterns one can infer counterpart temporal and spatial characteristics of the pipeline current. The relationship of the field amplitudes to geomagnetic activity indices,A _p, and the established occurrence of various levels ofA _p over several solar cycles were employed to show that about half of the time the induced currents in the pipe would be under 1 A for the maximum response oscillatory periods near 1 hr. Such currents should be of minimal consequence in corrosion effects for even a section of the pipeline unprotected by sacrificial electrodes. Of greater interest was the result that the extreme surges of current should reach over one-hundred amperes in the pipeline during high activity.     

Effects of soil resistivity on currents induced on pipelines

The goal of cathodic protection is to prevent corrosion by maintaining buried pipelines at a constant potential with respect to the surrounding soil. In practice, however, the implementation is very complicated since many factors can contribute to the current flowing off the pipe. Design requires characterization of the parameters impacting the corrosion process, such as soil resistivity, size of the pipe and quality of the coating.In the present paper, we have studied the effect of geomagnetic fields on the pipe-induced currents considering it as an additional cause of corrosion. A theoretical method implemented to model the induced currents was tested in a previous work and the effect during disturbed days was quantified. This theoretical model indicated that the intensity of the current induced in a pipeline by the varying geomagnetic field depends on the intensity and rate of change of the field and the electrical resistivity of the soil. This induced current is in equilibrium with the host current and there is no current drainage between the pipeline and the host until, along the length of the pipeline, the host resistivity becomes different. At that point, current must flow between the pipe and host in order to establish a new equilibrium. It is this drainage current, flowing between the pipeline and the host, which causes corrosion problems.Following these results, experimental tests were performed in Tierra del Fuego. In this zone, a geophysical study was made to determine the discontinuities in soil resistivities and simultaneous measurements of the geomagnetic field and the drainage of current were recorded at different sites. The results obtained from the correlation of the data are consistent with the theoretical predictions.     

克希霍夫法VSP多波联合成像

VSP 转换波跟VSP 纵波或常规地面转换波相比,具有较高的分辨率和信噪比,但传统的VSP成像方法只利用了反射P波信息,而把转换波（反射S波、透射S波）以及透射P波当作影响成像质量的噪音.本文给出了一种VSP共炮点道集多分量地震资料克希霍夫法偏移成像的方法.本方法充分利用了多波（反射P波、反射S波、透射P波、透射S波）信息,根据转换点处四种波同时起跳,能量叠加最大的原理,从接收点分别用向绕射点延拓它们的能量,并将其叠加起来,求得的和最大的一点即反射点.通过模型试算和实际资料处理表明,此法成像精度高,信噪比高,且有利于改善剖面的频率特性.     

An interpretation of induced electric currents in long pipelines caused by natural geomagnetic sources of the upper atmosphere

Electric currents in long pipelines can contribute to corrosion effects that limit the pipe's lifetime. One cause of such electric currents is the geomagnetic field variations that have sources in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Knowledge of the general behavior of the sources allows a prediction of the occurrence times, favorable locations for the pipeline effects, and long-term projections of corrosion contributions. The source spectral characteristics, the Earth's conductivity profile, and a corrosion-frequency dependence limit the period range of the natural field changes that affect the pipe. The corrosion contribution by induced currents from geomagnetic sources should be evaluated for pipelines that are located at high and at equatorial latitudes. At midlatitude locations, the times of these natural current maxima should be avoided for the necessary accurate monitoring of the pipe-to-soil potential.     

Deformation and seismic precursors to dome-collapse and fountain-collapse nuées ardentes at Merapi Volcano, Java, Indonesia, 1994–1998

Following the eruption of January 1992, episodes of lava dome growth accompanied by generation of dome-collapse nuées ardentes occurred in 1994–1998. In addition, nuées ardentes were generated by fountain-collapse in January 1997, and the 1998 events also suggest an explosive component. Significant tilt and seismic precursors on varying time scales preceded these events. Deformation about the summit has been detected by electronic tiltmeters since November 1992, with inflation corresponding generally to lava dome growth, and deflation (or decreased inflation) corresponding to loss of dome mass. Strong short-term (days to weeks) accelerations in tilt rate and seismicity occurred prior to the major nuées ardentes episodes, apart from those of 22 November 1994 which were preceded by steadily increasing tilt for over 200 days but lacked short-term precursors. Because of the combination of populated hazardous areas and the lack of an issued warning, about 100 casualties occurred in 1994. In contrast, the strong precursors in 1997 and 1998 provided advance warning to observatory scientists, enabled the stepped raising of alert levels, and aided hazard management. As a result of these factors, but also the fortunate fact that the large nuées ardentes did not quite descend into populated areas, no casualties occurred. The nuée ardente episode of 1994 is interpreted as purely due to gravitational collapse, whereas those of 1997 and 1998 were influenced by gas-pressurization of the lava dome.     

Remote and in situ plume measurements of acid gas release from La Soufrière volcano, Guadeloupe

This paper presents the first remote measurements of La Soufrière gas emissions since the fumarolic and seismic reactivation in 1992. The chemical composition of the plumes has been measured from May 2003 to September 2004 using an Open Path Fourier Transform InfraRed (OP-FTIR) spectrometer, up to 15 m downwind the South Crater. HCl is clearly detected (concentration between 2.4 and 12 ppmv) whereas SO₂ and H₂S generally remain below the detection limit of the OP-FTIR. Direct measurements of SO₂ and H₂S near the South Crater with a Lancom III analyzer show a fast decrease of their concentrations with the distance. Calculated Cl / S mass ratios are high: from 9.4 ± 1.7 at 15 m from the vent to 2.8 ± 0.6 at 140 m. The enrichment in HCl of the gas emitted at La Soufrière, observed since 1998, corresponds to the degassing of a magma enriched in Cl and depleted in S. This result agrees with isotopic measurements which suggest a magmatic origin of the gases. Readjustments inside the volcanic system may have taken place during the seismic activity beginning in 1992 and enhance the transfer of magmatic gases to the summit.