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 induce...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Space Weather |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003385 |
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| _version_ | 1841536476563636224 |
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| author | C. J. Patterson J. A. Wild D. H. Boteler |
| author_facet | C. J. Patterson J. A. Wild D. H. Boteler |
| author_sort | C. J. Patterson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-43a22e2406404107b8cb1bdfbfee849b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1542-7390 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Space Weather |
| spelling | doaj-art-43a22e2406404107b8cb1bdfbfee849b2025-01-14T16:27:17ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902023-03-01213n/an/a10.1029/2022SW003385Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United KingdomC. J. Patterson0J. A. Wild1D. H. Boteler2Department of Physics Lancaster University Lancaster UKDepartment of Physics Lancaster University Lancaster UKNatural Resources Canada Ottawa ON CanadaAbstract 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.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003385track circuitsrailway signalinggeomagnetic interferencerailwaysGICsgeomagnetically induced currents |
| spellingShingle | C. J. Patterson J. A. Wild D. H. Boteler Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom Space Weather track circuits railway signaling geomagnetic interference railways GICs geomagnetically induced currents |
| title | Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom |
| title_full | Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom |
| title_fullStr | Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom |
| title_short | Modeling the Impact of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Electrified Railway Signaling Systems in the United Kingdom |
| title_sort | modeling the impact of geomagnetically induced currents on electrified railway signaling systems in the united kingdom |
| topic | track circuits railway signaling geomagnetic interference railways GICs geomagnetically induced currents |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003385 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cjpatterson modelingtheimpactofgeomagneticallyinducedcurrentsonelectrifiedrailwaysignalingsystemsintheunitedkingdom AT jawild modelingtheimpactofgeomagneticallyinducedcurrentsonelectrifiedrailwaysignalingsystemsintheunitedkingdom AT dhboteler modelingtheimpactofgeomagneticallyinducedcurrentsonelectrifiedrailwaysignalingsystemsintheunitedkingdom |