First International Conference on MOLDAVIAN RISKS – FROM ...

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<strong>First</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on MOLDAVIAN RISKS - FROM GLOBAL TO LOCAL SCALE 16-19 May 2012, Bacau, Romania GEOMAGNETIC STORMS ─ BETWEEN BEAUTY AND RISK Mioara Mandea Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, Directorate for Strategy and Programmes Corresponding author: Mioara Mandea, E-mail address mioara.mandea@cnes.fr Abstract: The main part of the geomagnetic field is generated by a convective motion in the Earth’s iron-rich, electrically conducting, fluid outer core by a process known as the geodynamo. This mechanism generates a magnetic field known as the core field or main field, characterized by a temporal variation over time-scales from years to millennia, named secular variation. The field produced in the core is more than 90% of the field measured at the Earth's surface. Another internal contribution is the lithospheric (crustal) magnetic field, with its origin in the remanent and induced magnetization parts of the crust and upper mantle, which is not only weaker, but also of much smaller spatial scale, when compared to the large scale core field. The geomagnetic external fields mainly stem from the interaction with the solar wind, due to the Sun activity. The effect is to compress the main magnetic field lines on the sunward side and stretches them into a long tail on the night side. Generally, solar wind particles do not cross magnetic field lines and are thus primarily deflected around our planet. They may, however, enter the magnetosphere when interplanetary and geomagnetic fields merge during times of increased solar activity, or close to poles where the field-lines are nearly vertical. Their interaction with the atmosphere then causes the well-known aurora, amazing the viewer with the beauty of luminosity. The magnetic variations associated with these phenomena are known as geomagnetic storms and during their main phase the electric current in the magnetosphere create a magnetic force which pushes out the boundary between the magnetosphere and the solar wind. The frequency of geomagnetic storms increases and decreases with the sunspot cycle, some 11 years. There are several space-weather issues which tend to be associated with large geomagnetic storms which cause radio and radar scintillation, disruption of navigation and spacecraft operations, and even aurora displays at much lower latitudes than normal. More interestingly, time-varying geomagnetic external fields induce electric currents in the conducting ground. These currents create a secondary magnetic field, and an electric field at the Earth’s surface is induced, associated with time variations of the magnetic field. The surface electric field causes electrical currents, known as geomagnetically induced currents (GIC), flowing in any conducting structure, for example, power or pipeline grids. Since the largest magnetic field variations are observed at higher magnetic latitudes, GIC have been regularly measured in some Northern countries power grids and pipelines since some decades. However, GIC have also been recorded at mid-latitudes during major storms, and there may even be a risk to low-latitude areas, especially during a storm commencing suddenly because of the high, short-period rate of change of the field that occurs on the dayside of the Earth. The GIC hazard to pipelines is that these currents cause swings in the pipe-to-soil potential, increasing the rate of corrosion during major geomagnetic storms. In these circumstances, the GIC risks are not of a catastrophic failure, but a reduced service life of the pipeline grids. Considerations on the globally and regionally geomagnetic field variations, with some particular space-weather effects (aurora borealis and risks) are given. A special attention is paid to a few risks on power grids and pipelines due to geomagnetically induced currents, and how this situation can be considering on a regional scale. 22
<strong>First</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on MOLDAVIAN RISKS - FROM GLOBAL TO LOCAL SCALE 16-19 May 2012, Bacau, Romania PROMOTING CARBON CAPTURE AND GEOLOGICAL STORAGE (CCS) IN ROMANIA Constantin Stefan Sava 1, 3 , Carmencita Constantin 2 , Amuliu Proca 3 , Claudia Tomescu 2 , Alexandra Dudu 1 , Sorin Anghel 1 1 National Institute for Marine Geology and Geoecology - GeoEcoMar, 2 Institute for Studies and Power Engineering - ISPE, 3 - Romanian”CO2 Club” Association - CO 2 Club Corresponding author: savac@geoecomar.ro Abstract: It is now almost unanimously accepted in the international scientific community that the Earth’s climate changes have anthropogenic causes, first of them being the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions among which the carbon dioxide occupies the main place. Worldwide efforts are made to reduce such emissions. The industrial efforts concentrate on improving the efficiency and capturing the emitted CO2. One, probably the only feasible solution of disposing of the captured CO2 is its safe storage for long periods of time if not forever, the best being the geological storage. Information on 244 CO2 emission sources in Romania, totalizing 74,4 Mt was analyzed. Out of those, 64 sources with the CO2 emissions exceeding 0,1 Mt per year was identified. Information for those sources was loaded in the database. After having analyzed the whole sedimentary succession, several prospective geological sinks have been identified within Romanian territory. Some prospective saline aquifer formations were defined for further analysis. Relevant data were collected to characterize those formations. Also, the oil and gas fields of Romania were inventoried. As almost everywhere in the world the saline aquifers are poorly known. The Romanian sedimentary basins potentially containing saline aquifer formations have been combined in 4 big zones (Moesian platform and South Carpatians foredeep, Moldavian platform and East Carpathians foredeep, Transilvanian basin and Pannonian basin). Out of their total surface areas, the surface with sedimentary cover, thinner than 800 m, have been eliminated from calculations as such areas are not suitable for CO2 storage. In December 15, 2011 the European Commission has adopted the “Energy Roadmap - 2050”. The European Commission has committed to assure more than 80% GHG reduction until 2050, in comparison with the year 1990. This challenging target puts a high pressure on the energy sector, as it is the main GHG producer. In order EU to assure in 2050 a secure, competitive and decarbonized energy system, there have been established ten structural changes for the energy system transformation including mainly significant growth of the energy efficiency, substantial rise of the RES (Renewable Energy Sources) share, nuclear energy important contribution and the acceleration of the CO2 Capture and Storage technology deployment. For Romania, implementing CCS technology is one of the most important structural changes, which together with significant energy savings and RES use will lead us to fulfil our assumed obligations as member state. At national level, the electricity production from fossil power plants will be maintained at a relatively constant value of 27,6 mil toe to 21,5 mil toe for the period 2011-2030. The future implementation of the CCS technologies in Romania, as a priority for the energy sector, will contribute to: maintain operational the existing fossil power plants, including related mining exploitations sites, life extension for the oil and gas reserves exploitation capacities, increase the geopolitical security through the national resources consumption of oil and natural gas versus import dependence, develop new power plants running on (national) coal, maintain the existing jobs in the energy industry based on fossil fuels and create new ones (all along the project stages), integrate Romania within the European CO2 transport infrastructure, meet the national CO2 emissions mitigation targets. 23
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Sponsors of the conference Sodexo P
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