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Title: Global optical lightning flash rates determined with the Forte satellite

Abstract

Using FORTE photodiode detector (PDD) observations of lightning, we have determined the geographic distribution of nighttime flash rate density. We estimate the PDD flash detection efficiency to be 62% for total lightning through comparison to lightning observations by the TRMM satellite's Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS), using cases in which FORTE and TRMM viewed the same storm. We present here both seasonal and l,ot,al flash rate maps. We examine some characteristics of the optical emissions of lightning in both high and low flash rate environments, and find that while lightning occurs less frequently over ocean, oceanic lightning flashes are somewhat more powerful, on average, than those over land.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]; ;  [4]
  1. Tracy E.
  2. Sean M.
  3. William L.
  4. David M.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
976609
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-03-2614
TRN: US201017%%755
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: Submitted to: International Conference on Atmospheric Electricity, Versailes, France
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; DETECTION; DISTRIBUTION; EFFICIENCY; ELECTRICITY; LIGHTNING; PHOTODIODES; SATELLITES

Citation Formats

Light, T, Davis, S M, Boeck, W L, Jacobson, A R, and Suszcynsky, D M. Global optical lightning flash rates determined with the Forte satellite. United States: N. p., 2003. Web.
Light, T, Davis, S M, Boeck, W L, Jacobson, A R, & Suszcynsky, D M. Global optical lightning flash rates determined with the Forte satellite. United States.
Light, T, Davis, S M, Boeck, W L, Jacobson, A R, and Suszcynsky, D M. 2003. "Global optical lightning flash rates determined with the Forte satellite". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/976609.
@article{osti_976609,
title = {Global optical lightning flash rates determined with the Forte satellite},
author = {Light, T and Davis, S M and Boeck, W L and Jacobson, A R and Suszcynsky, D M},
abstractNote = {Using FORTE photodiode detector (PDD) observations of lightning, we have determined the geographic distribution of nighttime flash rate density. We estimate the PDD flash detection efficiency to be 62% for total lightning through comparison to lightning observations by the TRMM satellite's Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS), using cases in which FORTE and TRMM viewed the same storm. We present here both seasonal and l,ot,al flash rate maps. We examine some characteristics of the optical emissions of lightning in both high and low flash rate environments, and find that while lightning occurs less frequently over ocean, oceanic lightning flashes are somewhat more powerful, on average, than those over land.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/976609}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2003},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2003}
}

Conference:
Other availability
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