Establishment of lightning detection sensors network in India: generation of essential climate variable and characterization of cloud-to-ground lightning occurrences

Abstract

A network of 25 lightning detection sensors (LDS) has been established by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). At present, sensors are located in the northeast, east coastal, central, and southern locations of India under this network. Geolocation of the lightning occurrences is estimated using the time of arrival algorithm. These observations are compared well with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) sensor network data. The NRSC-LDS data have been used to derive essential climate variables (ECVs) and to understand cloud occurrences to ground lightning from July 2019 to November 2020. We note that December–January reported the least number of cloud-to-ground (CG) flash occurrences (flash density ~ 0.003 km−2 day−1), while August–September were the months with the most number of CG flash occurrences (flash density ~ 0.33 km−2 day−1). We also note that during the period under the scrutiny, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh states recorded the most number of CG lightning flash occurrences.