Comparison of location accuracy of the Japanese lightning detection network with large scale lightning detection networks

Abstract

The Japanese Lightning Detection Network (JLDN) has been operated to observed lightning occurring in Japan and its surrounding areas since 1998. The frequency of lightning flash is an important parameter for creating lightning protection designs. If the location accuracy of the Lightning Location System (LLS) is not good, it is very difficult to provide parameters for them. We have observed lightning current waveforms using Rogowski coils installed at wind turbines and evaluated the location accuracy of the stroke location estimated by the JLDN by the comparison with the position of the wind turbine. There are two continental scale lightning detection networks in the world. One is the North American Lightning Detection Network (NALDN) in the United States and Canada, and the other is the lightning detection network called European Cooperation for Lightning Detection (EUCLID) in Europe. We investigated the location accuracy of these networks with reference to various papers on their location accuracy. We compared the performances of the JLDN with that of the NALDN and the EUCLID. In the results, we showed that the JLDN has same performance as the NALDN and the EUCLID in location accuracy. However, some recent reports said the location accuracies of the NALDN and the EUCLID were improved by applying various techniques. In this paper, we show some solutions for improving the location accuracy of the JLDN at present.