Wave phenomena in communication lines and their role in critical infrastructure security

In this study, wave processes in multiconductor coupled transmission lines and their impact on the security of critical energy infrastructures are investigated. High-frequency electromagnetic disturbances can cause overvoltage, signal distortions, and malfunctions in control systems, which necessitates an accurate physical description of wave phenomena in such lines. Traditional modal approaches complicate practical analysis, as they do not directly represent the waves that physically exist in the conductors. The paper proposes a physically substantiated approach to the description of wave processes without the use of modal transformations. The concept of an equivalent wave impedance is introduced, defined in terms of the voltage and current of a physically existing wave; this parameter has a clear physical meaning and can be measured experimentally. It is shown that this impedance depends on electrical operating regimes and excitation conditions, which opens up the possibility of influencing wave processes without changing the geometry of the lines. The obtained results can be applied to the analysis of transient processes and to enhancing the electromagnetic resilience of communication channels and power systems within critical infrastructures.