Past BGS activities assessing the geomagnetic hazard to the Scottish Power network and transformer infrastructure

Reay, Sarah. 2008 Past BGS activities assessing the geomagnetic hazard to the Scottish Power network and transformer infrastructure. [Poster] In: NERC BGS Geo-risk Seminar 2008, BGS Keyworth, Nottingham, 21 October 2008. (Unpublished)

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Abstract/Summary

“Space weather” describes the interaction between the Sun and the Earth’s magnetic field and its effect on technology. Variations in the Earth's magnetic field can pose certain risks to technological systems such as satellites and power grids. The loss of service or degradation to the operational life-span caused by geomagnetic events can have a financial cost to the operator; a severe geomagnetic disturbance could affect the general population through power outages or the loss of communication and navigation satellites that we have come to rely on. The Sun radiates a solar wind – a stream of charged particles – that interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field. The Sun goes through an 11-year activity cycle and during active solar phases periodic and sporadic enhancements of the solar wind can result in magnetic storms on Earth. Geomagnetic disturbances heat the atmosphere increasing drag on orbiting satellites. The rapidly time-varying geomagnetic field can affect navigation equipment sending underground well bores off-course. It can also induce currents in the ground which can overload and damage transformers in power grids. The British Geological Survey (BGS) has expertise in providing advice or solutions to these problems to customers such as the European Space Agency, oil and gas exploration companies and local and national power grid operators.

Item Type:	Publication - Conference Item (Poster)
Programmes:	BGS Programmes > Seismology and Geomagnetism
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	26 Oct 2012 08:51 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/20105

Item Type:

Publication - Conference Item (Poster)

Programmes:

BGS Programmes > Seismology and Geomagnetism

NORA Subject Terms:

Earth Sciences

Date made live:

26 Oct 2012 08:51 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/20105