"Bart Senior" wrote in message
et...

CME's over power the earths magnetic field. At that point they
can induce huge over currents in long straight power transmission
lines and knock them out.

CME's don't over power the earth's magnetic field. What they do cause is a
time rate change of the net field of the earth (it's normal "static" field
plus the field from massive movement of ionic charge {the deflection of the
magnetosphere}) and this time rate change of the net field induces currents
into things such as transmission lines (power lines). The current induced is
not enough to blow out the transmission lines, but it is enough to saturate
the core of power transformers. A saturated transformer core changes the
waveform of the applied and transformed voltage (a rise in the third
harmonic of the waveform) and this is what causes the powerline trouble.
These type of effects are most noticed in the Northern areas such as Canada,
as this is where the magnetospause is closer to the earth.

Of further interest, some people with epilepsy or some who are prone to
seizures can definitively sense the deflections of the magnetopause.


BC