Eos · 2000 · 227 citations · 4 references
Natural SciencesEarth SciencesGeophysicsGeodesyGlobal Navigation Satellite SystemsRemote SensingLightning DetectionLightning PhysicsStorm Structure AnalysisThunderstorm ElectricityThunderstorm ElectrificationThunderstorm StructureGlobal Positioning SystemGlobal Positioning System MappingLightning Activity MonitoringLightning ObservationSevere Storm ElectrificationStorm Electrification ObservationsStorm-scale ElectrificationTiming Accuracy
Great Plains storms are known for their ability to produce severe weather. They are also prodigious producers of lightning; just how prodigious has been vividly illustrated by observations in central Oklahoma with a new Global Positioning System (GPS)‐based lightning mapping system.The observations are useful not only for studying storm electrification but also provide a valuable indicator of storm structure and intensity. The system maps lightning in three spatial dimensions by measuring the times at which impulsive VHF radiation events arrive at a network of ground‐based measurement stations. Low‐cost GPS receivers provide sufficient timing accuracy to produce high‐quality pictures of the total lightning activity over a large area.
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