Using Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Geomagnetic Data to Construct Indicators of Space Weather Impacts on Power Transmission Networks
Abstract
Geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) are a significant potential source of technological system disruption by space weather and provide a compelling motivation to better understand the Earth's space climate. The intensification of voltage harmonics in AC power transmission networks due to geomagnetic disturbances provides a useful operational proxy for the overall power transmission network stress due to GIC. This study uses multivariate statistical analysis to study the relationship between geomagnetic disturbances and harmonic distortion in the Hydro-Québec power transmission network. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) is used to compare measurements of geomagnetic field variations, in conjunction with harmonic distortion measurements, to demonstrate correlations between common modes of these data sets. The feasibility of using CCA to produce a harmonic distortion index for the Hydro-Québec network based on geomagnetic activity is also investigated. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the harmonic distortion data sets indicates the possible persistence of common modes of harmonic distortion across large areas of the power transmission network. PCA also indicates the relative weighting of constituent geomagnetic data, and the geophysical meaning of these weightings is explored. Other previous studies of magnetic local time (MLT) distribution of GIC in high-latitude transmission networks are compared with the MLT distribution of harmonic distortion in the Hydro-Québec network.
- Publication:
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43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021cosp...43E.922R