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Cloud Lightning from The U.S. National lightning detecting network. Lightning detection efficiency (DE) over the continental U.S. Measured stroke DE: 69% measured RTL flash DE (no first stroke): 83% extrapolated "natural" flash DE: 92% (interior) 93% (border) median location accuracy: 450 m.

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48 views0 pages

OS4-5MartinJ Murphy PDF

Cloud Lightning from The U.S. National lightning detecting network. Lightning detection efficiency (DE) over the continental U.S. Measured stroke DE: 69% measured RTL flash DE (no first stroke): 83% extrapolated "natural" flash DE: 92% (interior) 93% (border) median location accuracy: 450 m.

Uploaded by

andresesgrima8556
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Cloud Lightning

from the U.S.


National Lightning
Detection Network
Martin J. Murphy, Nicholas W.S. Demetriades, Kenneth L. Cummins and
Ronald L. Holle
13th ICAE, Beijing, 15 August 2007
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 2
Contents
Background
Predicting and verifying detection efficiency (DE) for cloud lightning
using cross-sensor studies
VHF total lightning mapping systems (NASA/KSC LDAR and Vaisala DFW
LDAR II networks)
Signal amplitude distribution for use in DE model: NASA/KSC LDAR
Verification of DE model: DFW LDAR II
The locations of LF cloud discharge emissions within flashes
Comparison with flash initiation locations given by VHF total lightning
mapping system (DFW LDAR II)
Conclusions
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 3
flash DE
contours
DE 90%
DE 80%
The U.S. NLDN: 2003 upgrade
3
n1 what is the bandwidth of the impact sensors---they dont detect VHF???
n, 2005-5-15
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 4
NLDN Cloud-to-ground (CG) flash and stroke validation
work since 2003 upgrade
Rocket-triggered lightning (Florida)
measured stroke DE: 69%
measured RTL flash DE (no first stroke): 83%
extrapolated "natural" flash DE (based on assuming that first stroke DE =
subsequent stroke DE): 95%
median location accuracy: 450 m
Video camera and waveform studies
Interior region: Texas/Oklahoma Border region: southern Arizona
stroke DE: 76% (interior) 67% (border)
flash DE: 92% (interior) 93% (border)
median location accuracy (subsequent strokes in the same channel):
279 m (interior) 424 m (border)
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 5
Model estimate of cloud flash detection efficiency (DE) over
the continental U.S.

Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 6
Sensor arrangement used for determining LF source signal
distribution for cloud discharge emissions
LF sensor
VHF (LDAR) sensor
Seminole
Palm Bay
Tampa
Ocala
Naples
LDAR
network
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 7
Example of one of the cases used: isolated cells passing
over LDAR network and near the eastern LF sensors
Seminole
Palm Bay
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 8
Cloud discharge detection at LF: low-amplitude events
Data from summer 1997 with LF sensor near the LDAR network at KSC
0.0
0.1
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0.1 1 10 100
range-normalized signal amplitude (V/m at 100 km)
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neg CG 1st stroke large cloud
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 9
Cloud discharge detection at LF: low-amplitude events
Data from summer 1997 with LF sensor near the LDAR network at KSC
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range-normalized signal amplitude (V/m at 100 km)
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neg CG 1st stroke large cloud
50 km 100 km 300 km
NLDN sensors with the following baselines have effective thresholds of:
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 10
Modeled cloud flash DE: short-baseline test network spring 2004
Based on cloud flash signals observed in Florida
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 11
Quantitative Determination of NLDN cloud flash DE
(using test network near Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas)
Case
LDAR II
Flashes
NLDN
CG
Flashes
LDAR II
cloud
flashes
LF
cloud
flashes
Small
Positive
Flashes
All LF
cloud
flashes
LF cloud DE
(incl. small
pos)
Modeled
DE
1 537 128 431 50 22 72 16.7 15-25
2 58 19 39 9 0 9 23.1 25-30
3 122 39 91 27 8 35 38.5 25-30
4 381 135 275 72 29 101 36.7 25-30
Steps:
Remove all LF cloud discharge events associated with a CG
flash (1 sec)
Determine LDAR II flash initiation points
Remove all except one LF cloud discharge event per LDAR
II initiation point (1 sec)
Move small positive "CG" events (< 10 kA) into LF cloud
flash category
Compute statistics
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 12
What do we see when we detect a low-amplitude LF cloud pulse?
VHF (pink) and NLDN IC (black) for storms on 29 March 2007
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 13
Observations of a bi-level intracloud flash by the NASA/KSC
LDAR
0
5000
10000
15000
-10000 -5000 0 5000 10000
east-west distance (m)
a
l
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(
m
)
remainder
1st 10
0
5000
10000
15000
54.3 54.4 54.5 54.6 54.7 54.8
time (sec)
a
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(
m
)
1st 10
remainder
vertical cross-section
altitude-time
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 14
NLDN cloud discharge positions relative to VHF lightning
mapping data: Cross-sensor correlation process
Correlate NLDN cloud discharges with first VHF emissions in flashes
detected by VHF mapping system in northern Texas (DFW LDAR II)
nearest time correlation, provided that
VHF emission precedes LF (NLDN) cloud discharge
positions of VHF and LF emissions are within 15 km of each other
Results presented
distribution of time difference between first VHF emission and LF cloud
discharge in 10 msec time bins
distribution of distances between first VHF emission and LF cloud
discharge, normalized by distance bin areas, in 0.1-km bins
composite of 3 storms in autumn 2006
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 15
Correlation between first VHF source in flashes and NLDN
cloud discharges: nearest time match
0.001
0.01
0.1
1
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
ti me di fference (sec)
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Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 16
Correlation between first VHF source in flashes and NLDN IC
discharges: distances corresponding to nearest time match
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
distance between 1st VHF and LF (km)
c
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p
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Density of correlations: Normalizes for the increasing areas of the distance bins
Vaisala | date | Ref. code | Page 17
Conclusions
Cloud flash data was enabled operationally in the NLDN in April 2006
Cross-sensor validation studies of cloud discharge detection efficiency
(DE) are consistent with predicted detection efficiency
Cloud flash DE modeling extended to the whole NLDN shows values
around 10% over the continental US
Emissions in the LF band do not provide spatial extent of cloud
discharges; most are concentrated near flash initiation locations, in cell
cores
Ongoing validation studies using video camera and waveform data are
being used to make improvements to discharge classification
(Cummins, Univ. of Arizona)

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