Lightning detection from Space Science and Applications Team review

The various needs for lightning data that exist among potential users of satellite lightning data were identified and systems were defined which utilize the optical and radio frequency radiations from lightning to serve as the satellite based lightning mapper. Three teams worked interactively with NASA to develop a system concept. An assessment of the results may be summarized as follows: (1) a small sensor system can be easily designed to operate on a geostationary satellite that can provide the bulk of the real time user requirements; (2) radio frequency systems in space may be feasible but would be much larger and more costly; RF technology for this problem lags the optical technology by years; and (3) a hybrid approach (optical in space and RF on the ground) would provide the most complete information but is probably unreasonably complex and costly at this time.