The detection and location of lightning from space

A lightning mapper sensor was conceived for detecting and locating lightning over large areas of the earth's surface, taking into account also a measurement of the radiant energy and a recording of the time of lightning occurrence. The considered device will basically be a calibrated lightning imager. The type of information provided is currently not available on a large scale basis. By using the mapper, scientists will, for the first time, be able to study the electrosphere from scales on the order of the earth's diameter down to the size of individual storms (10 km). Attention is given to details regarding the sensor components, and questions of sensor performance.