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The Illumination of Thunderclouds by Lightning: 4. Volumetric Thunderstorm Imagery

Journal Article · · Earth and Space Science
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2021ea001945· OSTI ID:1855136
 [1];  [2]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. Science and Technology Institute, Huntsville, AL (United States)
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Optical instruments such as the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) detect lightning based on transient changes in cloud illumination. The horizontal location of lightning is determined from the coordinates of the pixels on the imaging array illuminated during the flash. However, the vertical position of the lightning pulses (approximated by GLM “groups”) below the cloud top cannot be routinely measured from a single space-based instrument. In our prior work, we have developed a machine learning algorithm that can infer optical source altitude for a given pulse based on how the optical energy is distributed across the group footprint and the local Advanced Baseline Imager Cloud-Top Height (CTH). In this fourth part of our thundercloud illumination study, we leverage these source altitudes to generate volumetric GLM imagery of a Colombia thunderstorm. We find that 3D versions of the current GLM meteorological imagery products (that describe thunderstorm kinematics) and thundercloud imagery products (that depict how the flashes appear from space) provide additional insights into lightning activity in the thunderstorm that are lost in the vertical integration used to generate the current 2D GLM gridded products. This new volumetric imaging capability provides a more comprehensive picture of where lightning occurs in the storm, how its physical characteristics vary across three-dimensional space, and how its optical emissions interact with surrounding the cloud medium.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001
OSTI ID:
1855136
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-21-25408
Journal Information:
Earth and Space Science, Journal Name: Earth and Space Science Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 9; ISSN 2333-5084
Publisher:
Wiley, American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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