The Effect of Variations of Geomagnetic Activity on the Growth Phase of the 24th Solar Cycle on the Pipeline

Abstract

The results of measurements of telluric currents flowing through pipelines during geomagnetic storms are presented. Also, the measurements of electrical currents flowing through pipelines laid in permafrost in Yakutia during the discharge of lightning, terminated on the ground near pipelines, are presented. The influence of a direct current flowing through a metallic pipe on the «pipe-ground» potential variation in the piece of a pipeline with the length of 150 m and diameter of 110 mm is measured. The frequency of occurrence of a certain level of the rate of change of geomagnetic activity can be expressed as a power law with an exponent of the order –1.7, and the probability of exceedance of a given level can be expressed by the law lg(P)=– 0.0517(dB/dt)–0.1946. The largest high-frequency variations are noted during the recovery phase of magnetic bay and correspond to geomagnetic pulsations of the Pc5 range (a period of variations of 200–300 s). On a pipeline on these pulsations, other high-frequency variations are imposed and they start earlier – from a maximum of bay of disturbance. During strong geomagnetic storms and during a thunderstorm at a distance of 10 km around the pipeline, geomagnetic induced currents appear in it, reaching tens or even hundreds of amperes. As a result, the potential of soil-pipeline increases and it can increase the corrosion rate of a pipeline.