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oa Recent Advances in Observing the Distribution and Variability of Thunderstorms from Space
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 5th International Congress of the Brazilian Geophysical Society, Nov 1997, cp-299-00381
Abstract
The NASA optical transient detector launched in April 1995, Earth Observing System Lightning Imaging Sensor on TRMM-l scheduled for launch in late 1997, and a proposed Lightning Mapper Sensor on GOES N-P offer a new and potentially long-term, comprehensive thunderstorm observation capability. Lightning has been intermittently observed from space since the 1960s. However, these new optical sensors offer significant improvements in the direct measurement of lightning produced by individual thunderstorms and mesoscale weather systems across the earth. These data, used alone or blended with passive microwave, visible, and infrared measurements from other low earth orbiting and geostationary satellites, can be used to describe the characteristics and variability of thunderstorms from one climatic environment to another, from one season to another, and from one year to another. These observations can be used to assess the indirect methods of thunderstorm identification based on cloud top pressure, cloud top temperature, or microwave (ice) scattering index. Relationships among lightning, cloud type, cloud properties, and precipitation can also be examined on a global scale.