Transcript Document 7316155

North Alabama and DC
Lightning Mapping
presented at the
SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting
12-14 June 2007
Richard J. Blakeslee, NASA/MSFC
Dennis E. Buechler, UAH
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Approach to Lightning Mapping
• New Mexico Tech Lightning Mapping Array
– Time-of-arrival system
– 10-12 stations over 50-70 km diameter area
– Passive system: locates impulsive radio frequency
signals produced by lightning (‘static’)
– “Listens” in a locally unused VHF TV channel (e.g.,
Ch3, 5, 8, 10, etc.)
– Produces observations in near real-time (4-D maps of
the lightning channel)
– Detects total lightning (i.e., CG and IC) with good
spatial accuracy, temporal resolution, and high
detection efficiency
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Time-of-Arrival (TOA) Technique
Impulsive lightning
event at (x, y, z, t)
Signal arrives at station i
(x , y , z ) at time t
ti = t +
xi  x 2 +  yi  y 2 + zi  z 2
c
The Lightning Mapping Array measures the time of arrival of RF radiation from
a lightning discharge at multiple stations, and locates the sources of the radiation
to produce a three-dimensional map of total lightning activity (x, y, z, t).
• Measure ti at N>4 locations ( 50 ns accuracy)
• Solve for x, y, z, t (4 unknowns)
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
LMA Hardware
North Alabama LMA
– LMA Sensor Sites
• VHF ground plane antenna
• Sensor electronics / site computer
• Communications (mostly 2.4 GHz
wireless Ethernet network link)
– Relay Sites and Central Station
• PC router (up to 4 network links)
• Communications (multiple antennas
require great care in channel selection)
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array
- 10 stations over 65 x50 km diameter area
- Operational since Nov. 2001
North Alabama LMA
One hour of real-time data
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Example of LMA Flash
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
North Alabama Observing Systems
•
The LMA is a component of the Severe Thunderstorm Observation, Research, and
Monitoring Network (STORMnet) providing total lightning mapping.
•
STORMnet (as part of SPoRT) is a project to improve severe and hazardous weather
forecasting and warning through collaboration among NASA and University scientists,
NWS forecasters, and commercial partners.
RADARS
MIPS
(Profilers)
LMA
ASOS
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Total Lightning Data
to the WFO
LMA AWIPS Area
Scientific Benefits to WFOs
• Increased Situational Awareness,
Confidence Limits
• Rapid Update- Potential for increased
lead time, reduced FAR
• Identification of intensifying and
weakening storms, potential severe
storms, microburst wind shears, CG
threat area
• Fills gaps in radar coverage (e.g.,
edge of radar coverage)
Tennessee
• Use in Warning Event Simulator for
office training
HUN CWA
Alabama
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Flow of LMA data into AWIPS
WFO
AWIPS Workstation
Gridded LMA data
Forecaster
Wireless Ethernet
(NALMA) or Internet
(DCLMA) data xfer
to base station for
NASA
real-time processing
LDAD
DS1
NWS
FTP
Server
Forecaster at Workstation
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
NALMA Imagery in AWIPS
 Source density grids in
netCDF format
 17 height levels (0-16 km)
 Lowest level is composite
 Auto-loads 2 min grids
 2 km horizontal grid
 1 km vertical
 LMA image can display
side-by-side with NEXRAD
reflectivity and velocity,
satellite, or other fields
 LMA covers 7 WFO CWAs
 Data provided to HUN, BMX,
DGX, and OHX NWS offices
VIL
LMA
2-min
Composite
dBZ
NLDN
5-min
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
History of NALMA data at HUN
•
•
•
•
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November 2001: LMA operations begin
May 2003: Started ingesting LMA data into AWIPS
May 6, 2003: First case LMA used to warn
August 27, 2003: First case used to not issue a warning
Summer 2003: Helped install LMA data at BMX and
OHX
• Building cases for training on WES
– Two sent to SRH WES case library
– Many more cases archived (more than 30 so far)
• Assisted other offices with software and advice
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Alternate LISDAD II Display
• Along with AWIPS
forecasters can
interrogate data using
LISDAD II software
• Provides location and
number of LMA/NLDN
samples
• Alternate to the AWIPS
display
• Heritage: Melbourne,
FL (NASA, NWS, MIT/LL)
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Washington DC Metropolitan Lightning
Mapper Demonstration
Conceived at Southern Thunder Alliance Workshop
(Ft Worth, TX, 2005; endorsed by SAC, 2005)
Due to cancellation of VORTEX-II Experiment in 2007, pursue newly
available opportunity to deploy, evaluate, and assess the scientific and
technological merits of total lightning mapping with the NMT portable LMA
in an additional operational setting.
Why DC Metro Area?
• Transitional climatic regime, yet still many severe storms
• Coverage of 3 major heavily used airports
• Complex terrain to west, urban environment
• Sterling WFO history of supporting new technology assessments
– Leverage with on-going TDWR evaluations
• Proximity of MDL developers to WFO forecasters
• Access to students, faculty for system operations/maintenance
• Local interest (broadcast community, researchers, forecasters)
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Portable LMA Station
(note: NSSTC now building 20 portable stations)
• Electronics housed in shielded
thermoelectric cooler enclosure
• Operate from external 12 VDC battery and/or
power supply. ~12 watts power
• Battery operation: 48+hours (w/out cooling)
20+ hours (with cooling)
• Lightweight (10 lbs)
• ¼ wave ground plane antenna
(Ch. 8 shown; 180-186 MHz)
• Connected to receiver in box by
coaxial cable
• Other external connectors:
GPS antenna, ethernet, 12 VDC
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Washington DC LMA
• Channel 10, 192-198 MHz
(upper VHF)
• 8 stations operational, 10
stations planned (2007)
• Data ingested into AWIPS
at higher spatial and
temporal resolution (1 km x
1 km x 1 km x 1 min)
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
DC Severe Thunderstorms 4 July 2006
I used the DC-LMA web site to view
updates on lightning activity during my
shift at the command center (through
about 3:45 PM). It was VERY useful,
since I had no other "real-time" lightning
data available. I used various links to
NWS forecasts, radar, and satellite data
via the Internet to conduct weather
briefings to the command center staff. In
addition, our WFO staff kept an eye on
the DC area via all of the data available
in AWIPS.
… the DC-LMA data were VERY
useful in monitoring storm activity.
I was able to show the center staff
where the lightning was occurring.
In addition, I monitored changes in
lightning coverage/intensity as a
rough gauge of thunderstorm
changes in intensity.”
Steve Zubrick, WFO Sterling (LWX)
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
Severna Park, MD F1 Tornado
28 Sept. 2006
Severna
Park
DC LMA 2100-2300 UTC
DC LMA 2230-2232 UTC
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS
http://branch.nsstc.nasa.gov/PUBLIC/DCLMA
Public Web
DC LMA
Public Web
Site (2006)
Model that will
be used for
the NALMA
Lightning Activities in SPoRT: presented at SPoRT Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting Huntsville, AL 12-14 June 2007
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transitioning unique NASA data and research technologies to the NWS