The US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration has been tracking lightning in North and South America since 2017, using the Geostationary Lightning Chart aboard the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, known as GOES. The European system expands lightning detection to regions of Europe, Africa and the Middle East (with overlapping coverage in parts of South America), and provides important technical improvements that should provide a wealth of data for global weather forecasters.
“First, we have better resolution,” said Gioia Pastorini, director of project engineering at Leonardo SpA, the aeronautical company that developed the imager on Meteosat. “We are able to detect even a single lightning bolt, while GOES can only detect a group of events. In terms of energy, we can detect weaker lightning strikes.”
Carlo Simoncelli, director of software at Leonardo, said the data from the imaging device would be useful in forecasting the weather. Lightning is associated with tornadoes, and there is a significant increase in lightning remaining within clouds about half an hour before a tornado. Being able to detect this from space, Mr Simoncelli said, “gives us the ability to early warn about potentially catastrophic events”.
Having the system always on and producing data in all conditions is a huge plus. “It is very easy to spot lightning at night in the desert,” said Ms. Pastorini. “But if you look at the reflection of lightning over the ocean or just during the day, it’s much more difficult.”
