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.     

Geomagnetic field mapping from a satellite: Spatial power spectra of the geomagnetic field at various satellite altitudes relative to natural noise sources and instrument noise

For a low-level geomagnetic satellite survey, for which the motion of the satellite converts spatial variation into temporal variation, the limit on accuracy may well be background temporal fluctuations. The sources of the temporal fluctuations are current systems external to the Earth and include currents induced in the Earth due to these sources. The internal sources consist primarily of two components, the main geomagnetic field with sources in the Earth's core and a crustal geomagnetic field.Power spectra of the vertical geomagnetic field internal component that would be observed by a spacecraft in circular orbit at various altitudes, due to satellite motion through the spatially varying geomagnetic field, are compared to power spectra of the natural temporal fluctuations of the geomagnetic field vertical component (natural noise) and to the power spectrum for typical fluxgate magnetometer instrument noise. The natural noise is shown to be greater than this typical instrument noise over the entire frequency range for which useful measurements of the geomagnetic field may be made, for all geomagnetic latitudes and all times. Thus there would be little benefit in reducing the instrument noise below the typical value of 10^?4 gamma² Hz^?1 plus a 1/f component of 10 milligamma rms decade^?1.For a given satellite altitude, there is a maximum frequency above which the natural noise is greater than the power spectrum of the crustal geomagnetic field vertical component. Below this maximum frequency, the situation is reversed. This maximum frequency depends on geomagnetic latitude (and to a lesser extent on time of day and season of year), being lower in the auroral zone than at lower latitudes. The maximum frequency is also lower at higher satellite altitudes. The maximum frequency determines the spatial resolution obtainable on a magnetic field map. The spatial resolution (for impulses) obtainable at low latitudes for a 100-km satellite altitude (possibly achievable by tethering a small satellite at this altitude to a space vehicle at a higher altitude) is 60 km, while at the auroral zone the obtainable spatial resolution is 100 km. At the higher satellite altitude of 300 km the obtainable spatial resolution is 230 km at low latitudes and 530 km at the auroral zone. At 500-km satellite altitude, the obtainable spatial resolution is 500 km at low latitudes, while maps cannot be made at all for the auroral zone unless the data are selected for “quiet” days.For the lower satellite altitudes, greater spatial resolution can be obtained than at higher altitudes. Furthermore since the crustal geomagnetic field power spectrum is larger at lower altitudes, the relative error due to the natural noise is less than for higher altitudes.     

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.     

An inspection of the long-term behaviour of the range of the daily geomagnetic field variation from comprehensive modelling

This paper attempts to reveal whether long-term trends in the ionosphere are reflected in the amplitude range of the geomagnetic daily variation recorded at ground level. The smooth and regular variation observed in the magnetograms on magnetically quiet days is induced by the ionospheric currents flowing in the dynamo region. So it is likely that trends in the conductivity or in the dynamics of this region could produce changes in the current densities, and consequently in the range of the geomagnetic variation. The crucial aspect is how to separate the changes produced by the geomagnetic activity itself, or by secular changes of the Earth's magnetic field, from the part of the variation produced by factors affecting trends in the ionosphere, which could have an anthropogenic origin. To investigate this, we synthesized for several geomagnetic observatories the daily ranges of the geomagnetic field components with a comprehensive model of the quiet-time, near-Earth magnetic field, and finally we removed the synthetic values from the observed ranges at those observatories. This comprehensive model accounts for contributions from Earth's core, lithosphere, ionosphere, magnetosphere and coupling currents, and, additionally, accounts for influences of main field and solar activity variations on the ionosphere. Therefore, any trend remaining in the residuals, assuming that all the contributions mentioned above are properly described and thus removed by the comprehensive model, should reflect the influence of other sources. Results, based on series of magnetic data from observatories worldwide distributed, are presented. Trends in the X and Z components are misleading, since the current system changes in form as well as in intensity, producing changes of the focus latitude in the course of a solar cycle and from one cycle to another. Some differences exist between the long-term trends in the Y component between the real and modelled ranges, suggesting that other non-direct solar causes to the amplitude changes of the solar quiet geomagnetic variation should not be ruled out. Nevertheless, the results also reflect some short-comings in the way that the comprehensive modelling accounts for the influence of the solar activity on the range of the daily geomagnetic variation.     

Tidal components of geomagnetic variations

The natural geomagnetic field is constantly disturbed. The total registered effect of geomagnetic variations depends on both planetary and local processes. Planetary sources and sources in the Earth’s core respond to tidal effects. In the accepted model, the complex MHD processes in the Earth’s outer core are approximated by the assumed ring current in the equatorial plain of the liquid core. The geomagnetic variation originating as a result of tidal deformations of ring currents are ～10^?4 and 0.10–1 nT in the liquid core and magnetosphere, respectively. The calculated values coincide in order of magnitude with the processed geomagnetic measurements at Paratunka observatory (Kamchatka region).     

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.     

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.     

地磁活动对气候要素影响的研究进展

地磁活动是太阳爆发现象引起地球近地空间磁场扰动的重要空间天气过程之一.地球磁场的变化具有多种时间尺度,其中从数十年到数世纪的长时间地磁场变化主要是由地核磁场引起的,而从数秒到数年的短时间地磁变化与太阳活动有关.近年来,越来越多的统计研究表明,地磁活动与太阳活动和地球气候变化之间存在着显著的相关性.地球磁场和地球大气系统的耦合现象驱动着人们探索地磁活动对地球天气和气候系统影响的研究.本文的目的就是综述国内外地磁变化对气候影响的研究进展,介绍我们最新的研究成果,探索地磁活动对气候要素的影响特征和可能机理过程,为深入研究地磁活动对地球天气和气候的影响提供基础和依据,以期对地磁活动和气候要素关系有进一步的认识.     

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）.     

古地磁学在地磁场起源研究中的应用

地磁场起源及其倒转是地球科学的难题之一。究其原因一方面是由于无法直接观测地球内部发生的物理过程,另一方面是由于缺乏理论与实验相结合的综合研究。本文以磁流体力学为基础,将古地磁学与αω发电机理论结合在一起进行分析和研究。得出了如下新观点:(1)洛仑兹力在地核发电过程起负反馈作用;(2)较差旋转控制着地磁场西向漂移,(3)α作用使地磁极偏离地球自转轴     

地磁倒转与生物灭绝因果关系研究五十年

地磁场源于地球内部的地核发电机,经由近3000 km厚的地幔和地壳到达地面,穿过生物圈、大气层和电离层后延展至太空形成磁层.地磁场对生物圈有双重保护作用:阻挡了高能粒子向内入侵,也避免了氧和水等挥发性物质向外逃逸.尽管地磁场在几十亿年的时间里帮助维持了地球的宜居性,人们仍认为地磁倒转所导致的保护作用削弱会给生物圈带来深刻的负面影响,甚至是生物灭绝.本文梳理地磁倒转与生物灭绝因果关系研究的五十年发展历程,结合历史背景评介早期"一对一"假说的得与失,并着重阐述空间环境变化在最新提出的"多对一"假说中的重要作用.这些研究成果已经清晰地说明,从地核到磁层的地球各圈层是一个耦合的复杂系统,地球演化中的重大事件应当从地球系统科学的角度来看待,并借助比较行星学来研究和理解.     

Recordings and occurrence of geomagnetically induced currents in the Finnish natural gas pipeline network

A project implemented to study the effects of space weather on the Finnish natural gas pipeline was started in August 1998. The aims of the project were (1) to derive a model for calculating geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) and pipe-to-soil (P/S) voltages in the Finnish natural gas pipeline, (2) to perform measurements of GIC and P/S voltages in the pipeline and (3) to derive statistical predictions for the occurrences of GIC and P/S voltages at different locations in the pipeline network.GIC and P/S voltage were recorded at a compressor station. The GIC measurement was made with two magnetometers, one right above the pipe, and another at the Nurmijärvi Geophysical Observatory about 30 km southwest. The largest GIC since November 1998 has been 30 A. The P/S voltage recording was stopped in May 1999, but GIC is still measured.GIC statistics were derived based on the recordings of the geomagnetic field at Nurmijärvi. The geoelectric field was calculated by using the plane wave model. This field was input to the general pipeline model resulting in the distribution of currents and P/S voltages at selected points in the pipeline. As could be expected, the largest P/S voltage variations occur at the ends of the pipeline network, while the largest GIC flow in the middle parts.     

Harmonic sources of the main geomagnetic field in the Earth’s core

The large-scale harmonic magnetic-convective sources of the main geomagnetic field in the Earth’s core have been determined for the first time. The determination is based on a complete system of eigenfunctions of the magnetic diffusion equation in a homogeneously conducting sphere, which is surrounded by an insulator. The sources of the main geomagnetic field observed, which is responsible for the distribution of the electric currents generating this field in the core, are expressed in terms of large-scale eigenfunctions. In this case, the dipole sources are directly related to the observed geomagnetic dipole, whereas the quadrupole sources are related to the quadrupole, etc. The time variations in the obtained sources are responsible for individual spatiotemporal features in the generation or suppression of each Gaussian component of the observed geomagnetic field. When the commonly accepted observational international geomagnetic reference field (IGRF) models were used to partially reveal these time variations, it became possible to specify the estimate of the Earth’s core conductivity and determine the minimum period that can separate us from the commencement of further inversion or excursion.     

Plumes of the plasmasphere and variations in the geomagnetic field horizontal component

The effects of the dayside and dusk plumes of the plasmasphere during the ring current recovery phase on the disturbance level of the ground geomagnetic field horizontal component have been considered. It has been indicated that the geomagnetic field horizontal component changes specifically and synchronously in the region corresponding to the plasmaspheric dayside plume. Outside the plume the time variations in the geomagnetic field horizontal component pronouncedly differs. A spectral analysis of disturbances in the geomagnetic field horizontal components in the range of geomagnetic pulsations indicated that the intensity in the range of Pc4 pulsations increases at magnetic stations located on field lines corresponding to the dayside and dusk plumes of the plasmasphere. These pulsations detected in the dynamic spectrum of the geomagnetic field horizontal components in the dayside plume region of the plasmasphere, probably reflect the resonance oscillations of magnetic field lines in the region of field-aligned currents at comparatively low altitudes. We assume that this is caused by the instability of field-aligned currents originating as a result of the interaction between the ring current energetic ions and electromagnetic waves in the region with a relatively dense background plasma of the dayside plume.     

基于地磁台站数据对磁暴期间环电流和场向电流的分布特征研究

磁暴的发生与环电流的变化密切相关.除了对称环电流外,部分环电流在磁暴的发展过程中也起到了重要的作用,同时部分环电流通过场向电流与极区电离层中的电流形成回路.本文应用INTERMAGNET地磁台网北半球中低纬区域地磁台站数据,对不同强度4个磁暴事件主相和恢复相期间部分环电流和场向电流的磁地方时分布进行了分析和讨论.对于每一个磁暴事件,在低纬地区（地磁纬度约0°—40°N）选用地磁经度上大致均匀的8个台站,通过坐标转换计算平行于磁偶极轴的地磁场水平分量H来分析磁暴期间环电流所引起的磁场扰动;在低纬地区8个台站的基础上增加中纬地区（地磁纬度约40°N—60°N）地磁经度上大致均匀的6个台站,计算地磁坐标系下地磁场东西分量Y来分析磁暴期间场向电流在中低纬地区引起的磁场扰动.结果表明,磁暴主相期间的部分环电流主要作用于磁地方时昏侧和夜侧扇区,并且主相和恢复相期间部分环电流引起的磁场变化随着磁暴级别的增大而增大;磁暴主相期间向下的场向电流多出现在夜侧至晨侧扇区,向上的场向电流多出现在昏侧至午后扇区,且中纬地区向下和向上场向电流的展布范围明显大于低纬地区;恢复相期间弱、中磁暴事件的场向电流呈现与部分环电流相同的减弱趋势,而强、大磁暴事件在恢复相末期场向电流引起的磁场变化明显不同于恢复相的其他时刻,这可能与高纬较强的亚暴活动有关.     

Characteristics of the variability of a geomagnetic field for studying the impact of the magnetic storms and substorms on electrical energy systems

There are numerous models of geomagnetically induced currents in which the role of the main sources is allotted to the variations in the intensity of the auroral electrojet inducing the currents flowing along the latitude. Based on this it is believed that magnetic disturbances mainly threaten technological systems that are elongated in the longitudinal (W–E) direction. In this work, we make an attempt to employ new characteristics to describe the variability of the geomagnetic field during the geomagnetic storm of March 17, 2013. These characteristics, calculated from the data of the IMAGE magnetometer network stations, are compared to the records of the induced currents in the power lines on the Kola Peninsula and in Karelia. The vector technique revealed a considerably lower variability of the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field compared to its derivative. Quantitative estimates of the variability supported the fact that the variations of the field occur on a commensurate scale both in magnitude and direction. These results cannot be accounted for by the simple model of the extended ionospheric current and demonstrate the importance of allowing for small-scale current structures (with the spatial scales of a few hundred km) in the calculations of the geomagnetically induced currents. Our analysis shows that the geomagnetically induced currents are not only hazardous for the technological objects oriented in the longitudinal (W–E) direction but also for those elongated meridionally.     

地磁場倒轉的电磁模型

本文是根据地球基本磁場起源的“发电机”理论而提出的地磁場倒转的电磁模型,认为地磁場的倒转是地核内部“环型”場反向的结果,若地球转速的“突然”扰动够大,则地幔与地核之间的电磁作用可以引起地球内部“环型”場的反向,从而实现地磁場的倒转,计算表明,这一扰动的性质是地球蒋动周期的减小,其数量级为10~2毫秒。文章的末尾计论了反向地磁場的维持问题,得出倒转磁場维持的时间间隔约为10~3年-10~6年。     

Solar and geomagnetic activity, extremely low frequency magnetic and electric fields and human health at the Earth’s surface

The possibility that conditions on the Sun and in the Earth’s magnetosphere can affect human health at the Earth’s surface has been debated for many decades. This work reviews the research undertaken in the field of heliobiology, focusing on the effect of variations of geomagnetic activity on human cardiovascular health. Data from previous research are analysed for their statistical significance, resulting in support for some studies and the undermining of others. Three conclusions are that geomagnetic effects are more pronounced at higher magnetic latitudes, that extremely high as well as extremely low values of geomagnetic activity seem to have adverse health effects and that a subset of the population (10–15%) is predisposed to adverse health due to geomagnetic variations. The reported health effects of anthropogenic sources of electric and magnetic fields are also briefly discussed, as research performed in this area could help to explain the results from studies into natural electric and magnetic field interactions with the human body.Possible mechanisms by which variations in solar and geophysical parameters could affect human health are discussed and the most likely candidates investigated further. Direct effects of natural ELF electric and magnetic fields appear implausible; a mechanism involving some form of resonant absorption is more likely. The idea that the Schumann resonance signals could be the global environmental signal absorbed by the human body, thereby linking geomagnetic activity and human health is investigated. Suppression of melatonin secreted by the pineal gland, possibly via desynchronised biological rhythms, appears to be a promising contender linking geomagnetic activity and human health. There are indications that calcium ions in cells could play a role in one or more mechanisms. It is found to be unlikely that a single mechanism can explain all of the reported phenomena.     

The use of low altitude satellite data bases for modeling of core and crustal fields and the separation of external and internal fields

The near-Earth geomagnetic field is a complex combination of fields from a variety of sources within and external to the Earth. These fields have a complex characterization in space and time such that if the field were known at all times and positions external to the Earth's surface it would be possible to separate the measured field into its component parts except for the low degree field from the crust and the high degree field from the core. In practice the measurements come far short of such a space-time characterization. Because of this it is useful to keep in mind several principles when working with these data. These principles are: (1) know the enemy, i.e., understand as much as possible about all the sources, (2) don't expect a boy to do a man's job, i.e., recognize the limitations of the data, (3) use some common sense, and, (4) recognize personal prejudice. Examples are given from published and unpublished results to illustrate how these principles have been, and ought to be, applied. At the same time, suggestions are made as to how future analyses might proceed. These examples are drawn first of all from the way the main field and near-Earth magnetospheric fields are modeled, then from analyses of residuals from such models resulting from ionospheric and crustal fields.     

地磁场能量在地球内部的分布及其长期变化

用国际参考地磁场模型(IGRF)分析了地磁场能量在地球内部的分布及其长期变化.结果表明,从1900年到2005年,地核以外地磁场总能量由6.818×1018J减少到6.594×1018J,减小了3.3%,地表以外地磁场总能量由8.658×101J减小到.63×101J,减小了11.4%.分析地球内部不同圈层地磁场能量的变化表明,地壳(A层)、上地幔(B层)、转换带(C层)、下地幔D′层的地磁场总能量在减小,但是下地幔"层的地磁场总能量却在快速增加.磁能密度随时间的变化更清楚地显示出磁能增加和减小的分界面在r=3840km处.上述结果表明,地核和地表以外地磁场总能量在趋势性减小的同时,也在进行重新分配.进一步分析表明,下地幔D"层磁能快速增长,主要是由高阶磁多极子的增强引起的.在地磁场倒转前,偶极矩减小而多极性相对增强在能量分布上的表现就是磁能向下地幔底部(特别是D"层)集中.