Lightning Detection

Thunderstorm electrification is mainly due to ice particle interaction processes leading to a typical main dipole structure. Intra-cloud and cloud-to-ground discharges can be detected at low and very low radio frequencies by the lightning detection network LINET. At high radio-frequencies one can detect the step-like flash structure. The optical emissions can be observed from space. The operational LINET network over Europe and networks deployed during field experiments enabled a comparison of lightning characteristics from mid-latitudes and the tropics. Important applications are nowcasting and operational weather forecasting, climate research, and the planning and support of new satellite lightning observing systems