Open AccessNew receiver network advances long‐range lightning monitoring
Author(s) -
Anagnostou Emmanouil N.,
Chronis Themis,
Lalas Dimitri P.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2002eo000403
Subject(s) - observatory , software deployment , lightning (connector) , range (aeronautics) , remote sensing , lightning detection , global positioning system , geography , meteorology , telecommunications , situated , engineering , computer science , aerospace engineering , thunderstorm , power (physics) , physics , software engineering , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , astrophysics
An experimental long‐range lightning detection system (ZEUS) based on a network of six very low‐frequency (VLF) receivers is being implemented and operated by the National Observatory of Athens and the University of Connecticut. The system hardware takes advantage of the latest computing technology signal processing algorithms, geographic positioning systems (GPS), and communications networking to improve the state‐of‐the‐art in receiver design at long‐range frequencies. The receivers are situated in six remote locations around Europe, selected for their low rates of manmade electric noise. The sites are near Birmingham, United Kingdom; Roskilde, Denmark; Iasi, Romania; Larnaka, Cyprus; Mt. Etna, Italy; and Evora, Portugal. Deployment of the ZEUS receivers was completed on 15 June 2001. Since then, lightning activities have been monitored with great detail and accuracy throughout Europe and its surrounding waters, and with lesser accuracy along the U.S. east coast and in west Asia and central Africa.