Abstract
Monitoring lightning and its location is important for understanding thunderstorm activity and revealing lightning discharge mechanisms. This is often realized based on very low-frequency/low-frequency (VLF/LF) signals, very high-frequency (VHF) signals, and optical radiation signals generated during the lightning discharge process. The development of lightning monitoring and location technology worldwide has largely evolved from a single station to multiple stations, from the return strokes (RSs) of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes to total lightning flashes, from total lightning flashes to lightning discharge channels, and from ground-based lightning observations to satellite-based lightning observations, all of which have aided our understanding of atmospheric electricity. Lightning monitoring and positioning technology in China has kept up with international advances. In terms of lightning monitoring based on VLF/LF signals, single-station positioning technology has been developed, and a nationwide CG lightning detection network has been built since the end of the twentieth century. Research on total lightning flash positioning technology began at the beginning of the 21st century, and precision total lightning flash positioning technology has improved significantly over the last 10 years. In terms of positioning technology based on VHF signals, narrowband interferometers and wideband interferometers have been developed, and long-baseline radiation source positioning technology and continuous interferometers have been developed over the last ten years, significantly improving the channel characterization ability of lightning locations. In terms of lightning monitoring based on optical signals, China has for the first time developed lightning mapping imagers loaded by geosynchronous satellites, providing an important means for large-scale and all-weather lightning monitoring.
Highlights
Monitoring and positioning technology based on low-frequency signals is mainly aimed at determining the location of the return stroke, which can be accomplished with single-station or multi-station positioning
Chen et al (2012) [24] evaluated the performance of a lightning location system in the Guangdong power grid based on observations of 28 artificially triggered lightning flashes (2007–2011) and 34 natural lightning flashes striking on tall buildings (2009–2011), and found that its detection efficiencies for lightning flashes and return strokes were 94% and 60%, respectively
The national cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning location system has played an important role in the analysis of thunderstorm lightning activity in different regions of China since its inception, its monitoring and location systems are only aimed at return strokes (RSs), which provides very limited discharge information
Summary
Short baseline network layouts and waveform-based location methods are often used in scientific research to achieve higher accuracy and precision in total lightning cloud-to-ground (3D) positioning. The interferometric positioning system calculates the azimuth and elevation based on the phase difference or time difference of the lightning VHF radiation signal to different antennas in the short baseline antenna array to determine the two-dimensional channel of the lightning discharge. This paper will discuss the progress of lightning monitoring and location technology in China, including single station locations, low-frequency cloud-to-ground lightning locations, total lightning flash locations, VHF locations, and optical detection technology. Monitoring and positioning technology based on low-frequency signals is mainly aimed at determining the location of the return stroke, which can be accomplished with single-station or multi-station positioning. Since the beginning of the century, total lightning flash location systems based on low-frequency signals have gradually expanded existing lightning location systems
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