Geolocation of Multiple Pulses in Lightning Pulse Trains
Abstract
During 2013, Vaisala has been upgrading all sensors in the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network™ (NLDN) to the new LS7002 sensor (see Nag et al., this conference for further details). One of the capabilities of this improved sensor is the ability to process multiple pulses in cloud discharge pulse trains, or 'bursts', and send the information back to the central processor. To accompany the new sensor development, we have also deployed a new localization algorithm that properly handles inter-pulse time intervals within such pulse bursts and is capable of determining the positions of multiple pulses within bursts. These improvements are expected to improve the cloud flash detection efficiency of the NLDN as well as the spatial resolution of cloud flashes. During the summer of 2013, data from some small thunderstorms were processed using the original localization algorithm and again using the burst-processing algorithm. The present analysis compares both sets of results to high-resolution VHF lightning mapping data from a Lightning Mapping Array to assess the extent to which those anticipated improvements have been realized, to identify where in the flash lifecycle these bursts most readily occur, and to determine where there may be room for additional improvements.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUFMAE13A0333M
- Keywords:
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- 3324 ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES Lightning