volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

Long-term variations in strong geomagnetic storms are analyzed and linked to electric fields induced on Earth. In fact, geomagnetic disturbances generate electric fields that drive currents in the Earth which may have significant effects on electrical systems and pipelines. The present study will be carried out using aa, AE and Dst index data to estimate long-term variations in strong geomagnetic disturbances. The results are extended then to the space weather topic through a rough assessment of the expected Earth electric field from measured horizontal components of the surface magnetic field, and also through a qualitative estimation of the consequent currents and voltages induced in a pipeline using the distributed source transmission line (DSTL) theory.

1. Cliver, E. W. and A. G. Ling, "Secular change in geomagnetic indices and the solar open magnetic flux during the first half of the twentieth century," J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 107, 1303, 2002. Google Scholar

2. Kane, R. P., "Quasi-biennial and quasi-triennial oscillations in geomagnetic activity indices," Ann. Geophysicae, Vol. 15, 1581-1594, 1997.
doi:10.1007/s00585-997-1581-1 Google Scholar

3. Kane, R. P., "Evolutions of various solar indices around sunspot maximum and sunspot minimum years," Ann. Geophysicae, Vol. 20, 741-755, 2002. Google Scholar

4. Lockwood, M., R. Stamper, and M. N. Wild, "A doubling of the sun's coronal magnetic field during the last 100 years," Nature, Vol. 399, 437-439, 1999.
doi:10.1038/20867 Google Scholar

5. Rangarajan, G. K. and L. M. Barreto, "Long termv ariability in solar wind velocity and IMF intensity and the relationship between solar wind parameters & geomagnetic activity," Earth Planets Space, Vol. 52, 121-132, 2000. Google Scholar

6. Rangarajan, G. K. and T. Iyemori, "Time variations of geomagnetic activity indices Kp and Ap: An update," Ann. Geophysicae, Vol. 15, 1271-1290, 1997.
doi:10.1007/s00585-997-1271-z Google Scholar

7. Rouillard, A. P., M. Lockwood, and I. Finch, "Centennial changes in the solar wind speed and in the open solar flux," J. Geophy. Res., Vol. 112, A05103, 2007. Google Scholar

8. Russell, C. T., "On the possibility of deducing interplanetary and solar parameters from geomagnetic records," Solar Physics, Vol. 42, 259-269, 1975.
doi:10.1007/BF00153301 Google Scholar

9. Vennerstrom, S., "Long-term rise in geomagnetic activity — A close connection between quiet days and storms," Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol. 27, 69-72, 2000.
doi:10.1007/BF00153301 Google Scholar

10. Mayaud, P. N., "Derivation, meaning, and use of geomagnetic indices," Geophysical Monograph 22, American Geophysical Union, Washington D.C., 1980. Google Scholar

11. Pulkkinen, A., "Geomagnetic induction during highly disturbed space weather conditions: Studies of ground effects,", Academic Dissertation in physics, Contribution 42, 78, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland, 2003. Google Scholar

12. Gonzalez, W. D., J. A. Joselyn, Y. Kamide, H. W. Kroehl, G. Rostoker, B. T. Tsurutani, and V. M. Vasyliunas, "What is a geomagnetic storm?," J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 99, 5771-5792, 1994.
doi:10.1029/93JA02867 Google Scholar

13. Bell, J. T., M. S. Gussenhoven, and E. G. Mullen, "Super storms," J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 102, 14189-14198, 1997.
doi:10.1029/96JA03759 Google Scholar

14. Thomson, D. and J. Weaver, "The complex image approximation for induction in a multilayered Earth," J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 80, 123-129, 1975.
doi:10.1029/JA080i001p00123 Google Scholar

15. Pirjola, R. and A. Viljanen, "Complex image method for calculating electric and magnetic fields produced by an auroral electrojet of finite length," Ann. Geophysicae, Vol. 16, 1434-1444, 1998.
doi:10.1007/s00585-998-1434-6 Google Scholar

16. Gummow, R. A. and P. Eng, "GIC effects on pipeline corrosion and corrosion control systems," J. Atmos. Solar Terr. Phys., Vol. 64, 1755-1764, 2002.
doi:10.1016/S1364-6826(02)00125-6 Google Scholar

17. Sheherd, S. G. and F. Shubitidze, "Method of auxiliary sources for calculating the magnetic and electric fields induced in a layerd Earth," J. Atmos. Solar Terr. Phys., Vol. 65, 1151-1160, 2003.
doi:10.1016/S1364-6826(03)00159-7 Google Scholar

18. Viljanen, A., A. Pulkkinen, O. Amm, R. Pirjola, T. Korja, and BEAR Working Group, "Fast computation of the geoelectric field using the method of elementary current systems and planar Earth models," Ann. Geophysicae, Vol. 22, 101-113, 2004. Google Scholar

19. Boteler, D. and M. J. Cookson, "Telluric currents and their affects on pipelines in the Cook Strait region of New Zealand," Materials Performance, Vol. 28, 27-32, 1986. Google Scholar

20. Schelkunoff, S. A., Electromagnetic Waves, 1943.

21. Pulkkinen, A., R. Pirjola, D. Boteler, A. Viljanen, and I. Yegerov, "Modelling of space weather effects on pipelines," J. Appl. Geophys., Vol. 48, 233-256, 2001.
doi:10.1016/S0926-9851(01)00109-4 Google Scholar

22. Ogurtsov, M. G., Y. A. Nagovitsyn, G. E. Kocharov, and H. Jungner, "Long-period cycles of the Sun's activity recorded in direct solar data and proxies," Solar Physics, Vol. 211, 371-394, 2002.
doi:10.1023/A:1022411209257 Google Scholar

23. De Jager, C., "Solar forcing of climate. 1: Solar variability," Space Science Review, Vol. 120, 197-241, 2005.
doi:10.1007/s11214-005-7046-5 Google Scholar

24. Clilverd, M. A., T. D. G. Clark, E. Clarke, H. Rishbeth, and T. Ulich, "The causes of long-termc hanges in the aa index," J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 107, 2002. Google Scholar

25. Osella, A. and A. Favetto, "Effects of soil resistivity on currents induced on pipelines," J. Appl. Geophhys., Vol. 44, 303-312, 2000.
doi:10.1016/S0926-9851(00)00008-2 Google Scholar

26. Nevenlinna, H., P. Tenhunen, R. Pirjola, J. Annanpalo, and A. Pulkkinen, "Breakdown caused by a geomagnetically induced current in the Finnish telesystemin 1958," J. Atmos. Solar Terr. Phys., Vol. 63, 1099-1103, 2001.
doi:10.1016/S1364-6826(01)00021-9 Google Scholar

27. Lam, H. L., D. H. Boteler, and L. Trichtchenko, "Case studies of space weather events fromtheir launching on the Sun to their impacts on power systems on the Earth," Ann. Geophysicae, Vol. 20, 1073-1079, 2002. Google Scholar

Dr. Ana Elias

Dr. V. Silbergleit