Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) directed toward the Earth produce the most severe geomagnetic storms in the Earth's atmosphere. The highly variable magnetosphere-ionosphere current system produced by a CME can induce geoelectric fields in the ground, resulting in the generation of low-frequency geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) in conductor based technological infrastructure systems in the ground, such as power grids, oil and gas pipelines, and high-speed railway systems. The flow of large GICs through transformer windings can saturate the core and cause the transformer to malfunction (with the possibility of permanent damage) and can even cause the whole system to collapse (Pirjola, 2002). The corresponding increase in soil pile potentials can destroy the cathodic protection, accelerating the corrosion rate of pipelines (Boteler, 2000). Moreover, GICs flowing through the track circuits of railways may cause anomalies in signaling and control systems .
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