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Geomagnetically Induced Currents in Power Grids

Interactive 3D simulator of geomagnetically induced currents (GIC): a storm-time dB/dt drives a quasi-DC geoelectric field along transmission lines, pushing current through grounded transformer neutrals and half-cycle-saturating their cores.

Climate, Ecology & Environment3DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

During a geomagnetic storm, the rapidly changing magnetic field at Earth's surface induces a quasi-DC geoelectric field in the ground. Long grounded conductors — high-voltage transmission lines, with the earth itself as the return path — pick up that field as an EMF along their length, driving geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) through the grounded neutrals of power transformers. This simulator models a small four-substation network: a storm-intensity (dB/dt) and field-azimuth pair drive a lumped Ohm's-law circuit for each line, animated current-flow pulses show which lines are carrying the most GIC, and a live oscilloscope trace shows the resulting half-cycle core saturation in the most heavily loaded transformer — the same mechanism behind real events like the 1989 Hydro-Québec blackout.

⚙ Under the hood

Simulate how a geomagnetic storm's dB/dt drives a quasi-DC geoelectric field along power lines, pushing geomagnetically induced currents through transformer neutrals and half-cycle-saturating their cores.

geomagnetic stormGICpower gridspace weathertransformer saturationgeoelectric field

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install