World-Wide Lightning Location Using VLF Propagation in the Earth-Ionosphere Waveguide

R.L. DOWDEN; R.H. HOLZWORTH; C.J. RODGER; J. LICHTENBERGER; N.R. THOMSON; A.R. JACOBSON; E. LAY; J.B. BRUNDELL1; T.J. LYONS; S. O'KEEFE; Z. KAWASAKI; C. PRICE; V. PRIOR; P. ORTÉGA; J. WEINMAN; Y. MIKHAILOV; R. WOODMAN; X. QIE; G. BURNS; A. COLLIER; O. PINTO; R. DIAZ; C. ADAMO; E.R. WILLIAMS; S. KUMAR; G. B. RAGA; J.M. ROSADO; E.E. ÁVILA; M.A CLILVERD; T. ULICH; P. GORHAM; T.J. SHANAHAN; T. OSIPOWICZ; G. COOK; Y. ZHAO

IEEE ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION MAGAZINE

Año: 2008 vol. 50 p. 40 - 60

1045-9243

Title: World-Wide Lightning Location Using VLF Propagation in the Earth-Ionosphere Waveguide Abstract: World wide lightning location (WWLL) using only 30 lightning sensors has been successfully achieved by using only VLF propagation in the Earth-Ionosphere Wave Guide (EIWG). Ground propagation or mixed “sky” and ground propagation is avoided by requiring evidence of EIWG dispersion. A further requirement is that the lightning strike must be inside the perimeter defined by the lightning sensor sites detecting the stroke. Under these conditions, the time and the location of the stroke can be determined along with the RMS errors. Lightning strokes with errors exceeding 30 ìs or 10 km are rejected. To assist with identifying impulses from the same lightning stroke, the lightning sensor threshold is automatically adjusted to allow an average detection rate of 3 per second. This largely limits detection to the strongest 4% of lightning strokes of which about 40% meet the accuracy requirements for time and location.