Lightning Imager Switched On, Operational
The fist Lighting Imager capable of continuously detecting lighting strikes across Europe and Africa has been switched on and is operational. New animations from the innovative instrument confirm its potential to revolutionize the detection and prediction of severe storms.
“The animations show the instrument’s ability to accurately and effectively detect lightning activity over the whole area of the cameras’ field of view, which covers 84% of the Earth's disc."
Simonetta Cheli, ESA
ESA and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat) have released thde first animations from the Lightning Imager onboard the first Meteosat Third Generation satellite, which launched on December 13, 2022.
The Lightning Imager, built by Leonardo, can continuously detect rapid flashes of lighting in Earth’s atmosphere whether day or night from a distance of 22,300 miles. The instrument has four cameras covering Europe, Africa, the Middle East and parts of South America. Each camera can capture up to 1000 images per second and will continuously observe lightning activity from space.
Each animation contains a sequence of images created by collecting one minute’s worth of lightning measurements, overlaid on a single image of Earth from the Lightning Imager.
Lighting Imager Data Improves Severe Storm Forecasting
https://youtu.be/9ffjog1SVzg
Data from the Lightning Imager will give weather forecasters greater confidence in their predictions of severe storms, particularly in remote regions and on the oceans where lightning detection capabilities are limited. “The animations show the instrument’s ability to accurately and effectively detect lightning activity over the whole area of the cameras’ field of view, which covers 84% of the Earth disc," said Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programs at ESA. “ESA and Eumetsat, together with European industrial partners, are ensuring the benefits of highly innovative new technology are felt by communities and sectors of the economy in Europe and beyond.”
Detecting and analyzing lightning data will provide valuable support to the study of short-term weather forecasts and to understanding the consequences of such phenomena on climate change. At the same time, the Lightning Imager will also play a key role in air traffic safety, given that lightning poses a high risk to aircraft's onboard instrumentation.
"Severe storms are often preceded by abrupt changes in lightning activity. By observing these changes in activity, Lightning Imager data will give weather forecasters additional confidence in their forecasts of severe storms," said Eumetsat Director General, Phil Evans. “When these data are used in conjunction with the high-resolution data from the Flexible Combined Imager, weather forecasters will be better able to track the development of severe storms and have a longer lead-in time to warn authorities and communities.”
(Source: ESA news release. Image from file. Video courtesy ESA)