Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/J004693/1
Geophysical Modelling of Geomagnetically Induced Currents in the UK
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Dr C Beggan, British Geological Survey, Earth Hazards & Observatories
- Grant held at:
- British Geological Survey, Earth Hazards & Observatories
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Earth
- Overall Classification:
- Earth
- ENRIs:
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Science Topics:
- Geohazards
- Solar & Solar-Terrestrial Phys
- Abstract:
- Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) occur during large geomagnetic storm events, typically triggered when a coronal mass ejection from the Sun encounters the Earth's magnetic field. These GICs flow through the conductive crust of the Earth and take 'easy' low resistance paths, such as those through the grounded elements of the UK power grid. Currents flowing directly through the high-voltage network, may cause damage to electrical equipment including transformers. Monitoring of changes in the geomagnetic field, in concert with detailed modelling of the power network and the conductivity of crustal rocks, allows predictions to be made of GICs at particular locations. These predictions are of great interest to power grid operators, as asset owners, and Government, which is concerned that critical infrastructures are resilient to the impacts of natural hazard events. BGS has had several projects looking at various aspects of this problem. We propose to join together three separate threads of research to produce a single model which takes magnetic field data from BGS (and other) observatories, a representative conductivity model of the UK, and the physical configuration of the National Grid as inputs, and outputs a prediction of GICs at transformer sites nationwide. We want to investigate how well our understanding of the geophysics matches with measurements of these GICs made at transformer sites. We wish to investigate what might happen if an extreme geomagnetic storm were to occur, including the maximum size of currents induced in the electrical grid. This information would be extremely useful to operators of power, communication, and oil/gas networks, for example.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/J004693/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- New Investigators (FEC)
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- New Investigators
This grant award has a total value of £59,336
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Estate Costs | DI - Staff | DI - T&S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £372 | £27,900 | £5,427 | £24,237 | £1,400 |
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