The main problem of electric utilities around the world is to ensure continuous power supply to consumers. One of the causes of power outages and blackouts can be geomagnetic storms during periods of the increased solar activity. They arouse geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) flowing in the long-distance high-voltage power grids on Earth’s surface. The history of this phenomenon investigation shows that GICs during strong geomagnetic storms had led to blackouts in certain regions of Canada, Sweden and the USA. To study these phenomena and assess the risks of such accidents for the regional system, a GICs registration system in 330 kV autotransformers neutrals of the Kola-Karelian power transit was developed in northwestern Russia. During 11 years of monitoring numerous cases of the flow of high values of quasi-dc currents with different time durations, induced by variations of the geomagnetic field, have been registered. In order to analyze the currents a wavelet transform was chosen, since this method allows to define not only the frequency composition but also changes in spectral characteristics over time, which is significant in the study of GIC. The paper presents a discussion of GIC scalograms obtained for four events of Solar Cycle 24: 13-14 November 2012, 17-18 March 2015, 7-8 September 2015 and 7-8 September 2017. The analysis showed that the characteristic duration of the peak of the considered GICs is from 4.6 to 11.1 min.
The review offered for the first time in the Russian scientific literature is devoted to various aspects of the problem of the impact of space weather on ground transport systems. An analysis of available information indicates that space weather disturbances can affect rail infrastructure through both direct and indirect effects on system components. One of the main hazards is geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) in grounded extended structures excited by the geomagnetic field disturbances. The telluric electric fields and currents associated with them can cause power outages and malfunctions in the railway automation track circuits. Indirect impact is possible through disturbances in the stable supply of electricity, disturbances in communication systems and in the appearance of positioning errors in global navigation satellite systems. The review provides information necessary for engineers of transport and energy systems about the main factors of space weather that could pose a threat to such systems. Examples of the influence of geomagnetic disturbances on the automatic signaling of the northern sections of Russian Railways are given. The prospects for monitoring space weather and the aurora oval for the needs of Russian Railways are discussed.
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