A cluster of electromagnetic “garbage” was found in space

A cluster of electromagnetic debris discovered in space

Photo: flickr.com

An accumulation of electromagnetic “garbage” has been discovered in outer space, the source of which is an extensive network of high-voltage power lines. Scientists warn that this could lead to disruptions in the operation of wireless systems. These conclusions are based on satellite observation data analyzed by specialists from the O. Yu. Schmidt Institute of Earth Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Togliatti State University, writes Kommersant.

Power lines operating at a fundamental frequency of 50-60 Hz (Power Line Emission, PLE) literally cover the surface of the earth. These gigantic sources of powerful radiation, extending over hundreds and thousands of kilometers, are capable of penetrating not only into the atmosphere, but also into the Earth’s ionosphere, increasing with the technological progress of mankind.

Vyacheslav Pilipenko, head of the laboratory “Physics of Near-Earth Space” at the Institute of Physical Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, notes: “Our planet is in a constant electromagnetic environment created both by natural processes (electric and magnetic fields of the Earth, radio waves of the Sun and stars, atmospheric phenomena), and by humanity. Although ideally functioning power lines should not emit, any radiation leads to loss of energy, and therefore power engineers strive to minimize it. However, in industrial areas, power lines can go out of mode due to heavy load or geomagnetic disturbances.»

For efficient operation of power lines over large distance, the three-phase transmission line must be balanced, with equal voltage and current amplitudes on each phase and a 120-degree amplitude shift. Failure to meet at least one of these conditions leads to an imbalance in the system, which reduces its efficiency and causes power losses due to the emission of electromagnetic energy.

One of the reasons for the imbalance is uneven energy consumption. Fast trains, induction furnaces in metallurgy, computers, lighting systems and even kettles — all of them are non-linear consumers of energy and the main sources of uneven load.