Abstract
As human activity advances northwards, its supporting systems, such as power transmission lines and oil/gas pipelines, extend across the auroral zone. As the auroral electrojet, a concentrated ionospheric current along the auroral zone, induces a potential of up to 1 V km−1 on the Earth's surface, a significant amount of electric current can be induced in long conductors which are grounded at points separated by a long distance1–6. We show here that auroral activity can induce surges in the protective relay system of a power transmission line.
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Akasofu, SI., Aspnes, J. Auroral effects on power transmission line systems. Nature 295, 136–137 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/295136a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/295136a0
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