Transcript Lightning Detection System in Korea Meteorological Administration Seung-Sook Shin, Jeong-Hee Kim, Ki-Ho Chang, Jong-Ho Lee, Duck-Mo Woo Observational Technology and Management Division,

Lightning Detection System in Korea Meteorological Administration
Seung-Sook Shin, Jeong-Hee Kim, Ki-Ho Chang, Jong-Ho Lee, Duck-Mo Woo
Observational Technology and Management Division, Korea Meteorological Administration
E-mail : [email protected]
Lightning Network
 Since KMA introduced Lightning Location and Protection (LLP) in 1987, KMA is observing
Lightning event occurred in Korea and using in forecaster.
 Instrument observing lightning is changed into IMPACT ESP(IMProved Accuracy from
Combined Technology Enhanced Sensitivity and Performance) in the early 2000, and used for
observing lightning from 2002.
 Recently, KMA installed LDAR II(Lightning Detection And Ranging System: Total
lightning detection systems) sensor, is observing in-cloud discharge, and is doing the quality
control of the data.
 Network of lightning detection is composed of 7 IMPACT ESP sensors and 17 LDAR II sensors.
(See Fig. 1)
Fig. 5 Overlaid display of
lightning, radar, and
satellite image
Fig. 6 The distribution of daily
accumulated lightning
Fig. 7 The distribution of
lightning accumulated for 30
minutes to analyze the track
Fig. 9 Mobile warning system
for lighting
Fig. 8 The display of lighting location
Lightning occurrence tendency
Fig. 1 KMA network (● IMPACT, ◇ LDAR II )
Instrument
 IMPACT ESP sensor
 IMPACT ESP sensor detects cloud-to-ground discharge (C-G Lightning).
 Detection efficiency and location accuracy is very high because of combining
strongpoint of TOA (Time-Of-Arrival) technology and accuracy of MDF (Magnetic
Direction Finding) technology.
 Three IMPACT sensors are needed for exact location of the lightning.
Fig. 2 IMPACT ESP sensor
Fig. 10 Annual number of lightning events
for 2002~2007
Fig. 11 Monthly number of lightning events
for 2002~2007
Fig. 3 The range of lightning detection
 LDAR II sensor
 LDAR II sensor uses TOA method.
 Using VHF (Very High Frequency)
 It can detect every discharge like in-cloud,
cloud-to-atmosphere, and so on.
 It needs minimum five sensors for three
dimension observations and four sensors
for two dimension observations.
Fig. 4 LDAR II sensor
Fig. 12 The number distribution of
lighting in 2007
Fig. 13 The number distribution of lighting
days in 2007
Fig. 14 Monthly mean intensity in 2007
Fig. 15 Monthly polarity frequency of
lightning in 2007
Display
 The system collects the real-time data from lightning sensors and displays collected data
every 10 minutes. Thereafter, user select data as lightning, satellite, and radar image and
can display overlaid data at the monitor.
 KMA can track severe weather from displaying accumulated lightning data and analysis
the tendency of lightning occurrence through daily accumulated data.
 KMA offer every people the real-time position information of lightning on the internet
and intranet so that many people simultaneously can analysis the lighting data.
 People can magnify the area of lighting occurrence and get the location information like
latitude, longitude, and place name by online.
 KMA supply the real-time lighting dangerous zone by using mobile warning system for
lighting to minimize the damage concerned with natural disaster.
Fig. 16 The number of lightning events in (a) spring, (b) summer, (c) fall, and (d) winter 2007