Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom

Physics

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https://doi.org/10.1029/2022sw003385
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Keywords

INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS, Coronal mass ejections, MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS, Magnetic storms and substorms, NATURAL HAZARDS, Space weather, SOLAR PHYSICS, ASTROPHYSICS, AND ASTRONOMY, SPACE WEATHER, Geomagnetically induced currents, Impacts on technological systems, Magnetic storms, Models, Research Article, track circuits, railway signaling, geomagnetic interference, railways, GICs, geomagnetically induced currents

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Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom. / Patterson, C. J.; Wild, J. A.; Boteler, D. H.
In: Space Weather, Vol. 21, No. 3, e2022SW003385, 31.03.2023.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Bibtex

@article{4f35c4f13f9c47938d06214e942f37b5,

title = "Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom",

abstract = "Studies of space weather impacts on ground‐based infrastructure have been largely focused on power networks and pipelines, but railway signaling systems are also affected, with misoperations observed in several countries. This paper advances recent theoretical work on geomagnetically induced currents in railway signaling systems by modeling realistic railway lines with parameters from current industrial standards. Focusing on two example lines in the United Kingdom with different locations and orientation, a range of uniform electric fields are simulated along each modeled line. The results show that misoperations could be caused by geomagnetic interference at disturbance levels expected to recur over timescales of several decades. We also demonstrate that the UK estimate for the geoelectric field induced by a 1 in 100‐year extreme storm would be strong enough to cause widespread signal misoperations in both lines studied.",

keywords = "INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS, Coronal mass ejections, MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS, Magnetic storms and substorms, NATURAL HAZARDS, Space weather, SOLAR PHYSICS, ASTROPHYSICS, AND ASTRONOMY, SPACE WEATHER, Geomagnetically induced currents, Impacts on technological systems, Magnetic storms, Models, Research Article, track circuits, railway signaling, geomagnetic interference, railways, GICs, geomagnetically induced currents",

author = "Patterson, {C. J.} and Wild, {J. A.} and Boteler, {D. H.}",

year = "2023",

month = mar,

day = "31",

doi = "10.1029/2022sw003385",

language = "English",

volume = "21",

journal = "Space Weather",

issn = "1542-7390",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Inc.",

number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom

AU - Patterson, C. J.

AU - Wild, J. A.

AU - Boteler, D. H.

PY - 2023/3/31

Y1 - 2023/3/31

N2 - Studies of space weather impacts on ground‐based infrastructure have been largely focused on power networks and pipelines, but railway signaling systems are also affected, with misoperations observed in several countries. This paper advances recent theoretical work on geomagnetically induced currents in railway signaling systems by modeling realistic railway lines with parameters from current industrial standards. Focusing on two example lines in the United Kingdom with different locations and orientation, a range of uniform electric fields are simulated along each modeled line. The results show that misoperations could be caused by geomagnetic interference at disturbance levels expected to recur over timescales of several decades. We also demonstrate that the UK estimate for the geoelectric field induced by a 1 in 100‐year extreme storm would be strong enough to cause widespread signal misoperations in both lines studied.

AB - Studies of space weather impacts on ground‐based infrastructure have been largely focused on power networks and pipelines, but railway signaling systems are also affected, with misoperations observed in several countries. This paper advances recent theoretical work on geomagnetically induced currents in railway signaling systems by modeling realistic railway lines with parameters from current industrial standards. Focusing on two example lines in the United Kingdom with different locations and orientation, a range of uniform electric fields are simulated along each modeled line. The results show that misoperations could be caused by geomagnetic interference at disturbance levels expected to recur over timescales of several decades. We also demonstrate that the UK estimate for the geoelectric field induced by a 1 in 100‐year extreme storm would be strong enough to cause widespread signal misoperations in both lines studied.

KW - INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS

KW - Coronal mass ejections

KW - MAGNETOSPHERIC PHYSICS

KW - Magnetic storms and substorms

KW - NATURAL HAZARDS

KW - Space weather

KW - SOLAR PHYSICS, ASTROPHYSICS, AND ASTRONOMY

KW - SPACE WEATHER

KW - Geomagnetically induced currents

KW - Impacts on technological systems

KW - Magnetic storms

KW - Models

KW - Research Article

KW - track circuits

KW - railway signaling

KW - geomagnetic interference

KW - railways

KW - GICs

KW - geomagnetically induced currents

U2 - 10.1029/2022sw003385

DO - 10.1029/2022sw003385

M3 - Journal article

VL - 21

JO - Space Weather

JF - Space Weather

SN - 1542-7390

IS - 3

M1 - e2022SW003385

ER -

Research

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