1. Solar Shield - Forecasting and Mitigating Solar Effects on Power Transmissions Systems
Pulkkinen, A., M. Hesse, S. Habib, F. Policelli, B. Damsky, L. Van der Zel, D. Fugate, W. Jacobs
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

2. Overview
In Solar Shield, we develop an experimental system to forecast space weather effects on the North American power grid; project funded by NASA’s Applied Sciences Program.
Focus on first-principles-based space weather modeling.
NASA/GSFC/CCMC and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) the key players.
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

3. Geomagnetically induced current (GIC)
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

4. Prior warnings of large GIC are needed.
Societal effects
GIC causes saturation of power transformers:
Prior warnings of large GIC are needed.
Transformer damage
Electric blackout
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

5. System requirements (summary)
Two-level GIC forecasts:
Level 1 providing 1-2 day lead-time.
Level 2 providing min. lead-time.
Coupling to EPRI’s SUNBURST decision support tool.
Used by the electric power transmission industry to mitigate GIC.
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

6. Level 1 forecasts
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

7. Solar observations of eruptive events are used to compute “cone model” parameters. NASA/ESA SOHO/LASCO data used.
Level 1 forecasts
MHD output at the Earth used in a statistical model providing probabilistic estimate for GIC at individual nodes of the power grid. GIC forecast file is generated.
Plasma “cone” introduced to the inner boundary of a heliospheric MHD model (ENLIL). Model propagates the disturbance to the Earth. Computations carried out at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center.
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

8. Level 1 example
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

9. Level 2 forecasts
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

10. Lagrange 1 observations used as boundary conditions for magnetospheric MHD. NASA’s ACE data used.
Magnetospheric MHD output used to drive geomagnetic induction and GIC code providing GIC at individual nodes of the power grid. GIC forecast file is generated.
Magnetospheric MHD model (BATS-R-US) used to model the magnetospheric-ionospheric dynamics. Computations carried out at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center.
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

11. Level 2 forecast example
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO
Oct 24, 2003

12. Coupling to the SUNBURST decision support tool
% Level 1 GIC forecast produced by REALTIMEGIC_LEVEL1 %
% The format of the data is as follows:
% lat1 lon lat2 lon
% yy mm dd hh mi GIC1low GIC1high GIC2low GIC2high
% Level 2 GIC forecast produced by REALTIMEGIC_LEVEL2
% lat1 lon1 lat2 lon
% yy1 mm1 dd1 hh1 mi1 ss1 GIC GIC %
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO

13. Summary
Solar Shield designs and establishes an experimental two-level GIC forecasting system that utilizes first-principles-based space weather modeling; final product of the project are recommendations for an optimal system.
Level 1 and 2 GIC draft forecasts are being generated in real-time. Optimization and validation of the forecast system underway.
Coupling to the SUNBURST DST and evaluation of the economic value of the forecasting system underway.
April 29, 2008, Space Weather Workshop, Boulder, CO