HR: 11:50h
AN: AE31B-06    [PDF]
TI: Dual-Satellite Observations of VHF Lightning From GPS Orbit
AU: * Suszcynsky, D M
EM: dsuszcynsky@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Space & Atmospheric Sciences Group, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AU: Pongratz, M B
EM: mpongratz@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Space & Atmospheric Sciences Group, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AU: Linford, J
EM: jlinford@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Space & Atmospheric Sciences Group, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AU: Jacobson, A R
EM: ajacobson@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Space & Atmospheric Sciences Group, Los Alamos, NM 87545 United States
AB: Over the last several years, the remote sensing of very high frequency (VHF) lightning emissions from both low-earth orbit and Global Positioning System (GPS) orbit has been demonstrated with the Fast On-Orbit Recording of Transient Events (FORTE) satellite and with an experimental VHF receiver aboard the SVN 54 GPS satellite. Analyses have shown that these systems are most sensitive to an impulsive type of in-cloud lightning that appears to be a good generic indicator of thunderstorm convective activity. As a consequence, satellite-based VHF receivers are now recognized as potential candidates for global lightning monitoring missions. With the recent launch of a second experimental VHF receiver aboard the SVN 56 GPS satellite, we now have the opportunity to characterize multi-satellite detection of VHF lightning from GPS orbit. This paper presents data from and analysis of simultaneous observations of VHF lightning events by the SVN 54 and SVN 56 VHF receivers. The dual-satellite observations are used to (1) characterize the expected performance parameters of a multi-satellite VHF global lightning detection system, (2) demonstrate two-satellite thunderstorm geolocation using an intersecting isochron technique and (3) determine a detection efficiency for impulsive in-cloud lightning as a function of zenith angle (radiation pattern).
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
DE: 3314 Convective processes
DE: 3324 Lightning
DE: 3360 Remote sensing
DE: 3394 Instruments and techniques
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting