1. Global Lightning Observations

2. Optical Transient Detector ( launched April, 1995 ) Optical Transient Detector ( launched April, 1995 ) Lightning Imaging Sensor ( launched November, 1997 ) Lightning Imaging Sensor ( launched November, 1997 ) Lightning Detection from Low Earth Orbit

3. LIS on TRMM

4. Climatology: Basics 5 years of OTD, 6 years of LIS data Adjusted for detection efficiency J. Atmos. Oc. Tech., 2002 diurnally corrected ground-validated intercalibrated Scaled by satellite viewing Global flash rate: 45 fl / sec ± 10% J. Geophys. Res., 2003 5 years of OTD, 6 years of LIS data Adjusted for detection efficiency J. Atmos. Oc. Tech., 2002 diurnally corrected ground-validated intercalibrated Scaled by satellite viewing Global flash rate: 45 fl / sec ± 10% J. Geophys. Res., 2003

5. High Resolution Full Climatology Annual Flash Rate Global distribution of lightning from a combined nine years of observations of the NASA OTD (4/95-3/00) and LIS (1/98-12/03) instruments

6. 9-year inter-calibrated time series “Best possible” gridded data set for anomaly studies (internanual variability / ENSO) 9-year inter-calibrated time series “Best possible” gridded data set for anomaly studies (internanual variability / ENSO)

8. Climatology: Global (higher resolution)

10. Climatology: Diurnal cycle ( Local hour )

11. Climatology: Diurnal cycle ( UTC Hour )

12. Global lightning is modulated on annual & diurnal time scales, as well as seasonally and interannually

13. Climatology: Distributions NH summer dominates Expected semiannual signal in tropics NH summer dominates Expected semiannual signal in tropics

14. Lightning Responsive to Interannual Variability Winter 1997-98 (El Niño) Winter 1998-99 (La Niña)

15. LIS Ocean Overpass

16. LIS Land Overpass

17. Flash Rate Coupled to Mass in the Mixed-phase Region 0 o C

19. Easterly Wave Regime Summary Conceptual model for W. Africa and…. What did we do? Used a combination of TRMM PR, LIS and NCEP Reanalysis data to examine composited convective structure as a function of easterly wave phase over EPIC and W. African domains. ………For EPIC: Rotate convective types 30-45 o clockwise Scattered Dissipating Increasing coverage NORTH RIDGE TROUGH SOUTH Intense/Vertically Developed Widespread What did we find? Systematic hierarchy of vertical development, rainfall, lightning, and area coverage (frequency) regimes as a function of wave phase. Monsoon: Less vertically developed

20. TRMM- LIS FLASH RATE TRMM PR 7-10 km AREA-MEAN ICE WATER CONTENT African E. Waves: June-October 1998-2000 Diurnal Cycles of Area-Mean Lightning and 7-10 km Precip. Ice Water

21. W. Africa Tropical E. Wave: Regime Area Mean 7-10 km IWCs vs. LIS Flash Rate Northerly Trough Southerly Ridge All Phases Slopes and zero-flash intercepts in each regime similar Linear R 2 good or better than non-linear Consistent with previous bulk scaling arguments Scatter plots of area- mean diurnal cycle FR and 7-10 km IWC over the diurnal cycle for phases (N, T, R, S) 4-Pt. running mean applied to diurnal cycles to account for TRMM sampling

22. Convective spectrum (radar-based) Lightning production Convective spectrum (radar-based) Lightning production Deep convective frequency and lightning production Warm / non-mixed-phase Mid / deep convective Mid / deep stratiform Warm / non-mixed-phase Mid / deep convective Mid / deep stratiform

31. Climatology : IC / CG ratio

32. Lightning Connection to Thunderstorm Updraft, Storm Growth and Decay Total Lightning —responds to updraft velocity and concentration, phase, type of hydrometeors — integrated flux of particles WX Radar — responds to concentration, size, phase, and type of hydrometeors- integrated over small volumes Microwave Radiometer — responds to concentration, size, phase, and type of hydrometeors — integrated over depth of storm (85 GHz  ice scattering) VIS / IR — cloud top height/temperature, texture, optical depth Total Lightning —responds to updraft velocity and concentration, phase, type of hydrometeors — integrated flux of particles WX Radar — responds to concentration, size, phase, and type of hydrometeors- integrated over small volumes Microwave Radiometer — responds to concentration, size, phase, and type of hydrometeors — integrated over depth of storm (85 GHz  ice scattering) VIS / IR — cloud top height/temperature, texture, optical depth

33. OTD Overpass of Tornadic Storms in Oklahoma, 1995

34. OTD Total Lightning vs. NLDN CGs

35. Six supercells at time of LIS overpass dominated by in-cloud (IC) lightning: >96% of all lightning IC:CG ratio ranges from 20-28:1 One of the more extreme storm total flash rates worldwide during TRMM 40 people died in Oklahoma due to the twisters and 675 were injured. Total damage of $1.2 billion. Five deaths, 100 injuries and heavy damage also incurred in the Wichita, Kansas metro area. The Central Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak of May 3, 1999

36. TRMM/LIS Overpass During May 3, 1999 Tornado Outbreak - Overpass between 04:03 and 04:04 UTC - - Tornado on ground between 03:50 and 03:57 UTC - F3 Stroud Tulsa

38. sLIS Lightning Observations LIS Total Lightning Identifies Cellular Storm Structure F3 Stroud Tulsa

39. LIS Lightning Observations LIS and TMI 85 GHz Microwave match: lightning tracks cloud ice TMI Microwave

40. CG Total Oklahoma Storms Dominated by In- cloud Lightning

41. LIS and NEXRAD LIS Lightning Observations NEXRAD Reflectivity

42. NEXRAD Velocity NEXRAD observes rotation in the LIS- identified cells

43. Why observe lightning? (Forecasting) Time Tornado time Tornado time Lightning Radar

44. Pre-tornado Lightning Signature

45. Major Points for Severe Weather Primary lightning signature is high flash rates and the “jump” Lightning flash rate is correlated storm intensity - higher rate implies stronger storm. Evolution of the lightning activity follows the updraft. Increasing activity means the storm intensifying; decreasing activity means the updraft is weakening. A jump in lightning activity is associated with a pulse in updraft intensity These signatures, in conjunction with other NWS assets can be used to: Separate intensifying from weakening storms Identify storms in process of going severe Quickly determine the most intense storms in a complex system Improved warning times Reduced false alarms rates Primary lightning signature is high flash rates and the “jump” Lightning flash rate is correlated storm intensity - higher rate implies stronger storm. Evolution of the lightning activity follows the updraft. Increasing activity means the storm intensifying; decreasing activity means the updraft is weakening. A jump in lightning activity is associated with a pulse in updraft intensity These signatures, in conjunction with other NWS assets can be used to: Separate intensifying from weakening storms Identify storms in process of going severe Quickly determine the most intense storms in a complex system Improved warning times Reduced false alarms rates

46. Observe Storm Evolution Geostationary Vantage Point

47. Lightning Sensing from GEO Climate Monitoring Storm Development Ice-phase precipitation estimates Severe Weather Now-casting Data assimilation and model inputs Atmospheric chemistry Climate Monitoring Storm Development Ice-phase precipitation estimates Severe Weather Now-casting Data assimilation and model inputs Atmospheric chemistry

48. Getting to GEO Long-term goal is geostationary orbit Engineering straightforward ~ 6 km pixel size possible at nadir Go beyond LEO “snapshots” and capture storm evolution Significant forecast potential (data assimilation, severe weather nowcasting) Long-term goal is geostationary orbit Engineering straightforward ~ 6 km pixel size possible at nadir Go beyond LEO “snapshots” and capture storm evolution Significant forecast potential (data assimilation, severe weather nowcasting)

49. LMS Instrument Characteristics Extension of the LIS/OTD technology 8 km spatial resolution (same as the OTD) 40 kg 150 watts running all RTEPs; can be dropped significantly 200 kbits per sec. data rate (continuous ) products available in near real time (20 sec.) Status technique has been successfully demonstrated performance goals readily realizable all technology issues have been resolved all major subsystems nearing completion (brass-board level) Extension of the LIS/OTD technology 8 km spatial resolution (same as the OTD) 40 kg 150 watts running all RTEPs; can be dropped significantly 200 kbits per sec. data rate (continuous ) products available in near real time (20 sec.) Status technique has been successfully demonstrated performance goals readily realizable all technology issues have been resolved all major subsystems nearing completion (brass-board level)

50. GEO

54. Lightning Connection to Thunderstorm Updraft, Storm Growth and Decay Total Lightning —responds to updraft velocity and concentration, phase, type of hydrometeors — integrated flux of particles WX Radar — responds to concentration, size, phase, and type of hydrometeors- integrated over small volumes Microwave Radiometer — responds to concentration, size, phase, and type of hydrometeors — integrated over depth of storm (85 GHz  ice scattering) VIS / IR — cloud top height/temperature, texture, optical depth Total Lightning —responds to updraft velocity and concentration, phase, type of hydrometeors — integrated flux of particles WX Radar — responds to concentration, size, phase, and type of hydrometeors- integrated over small volumes Microwave Radiometer — responds to concentration, size, phase, and type of hydrometeors — integrated over depth of storm (85 GHz  ice scattering) VIS / IR — cloud top height/temperature, texture, optical depth

55. Climatology: Distributions Deep tropics ~ 2x subtropics Three tropical “chimneys” dominate (Carnegie curve) Americas dominate annual cycle Deep tropics ~ 2x subtropics Three tropical “chimneys” dominate (Carnegie curve) Americas dominate annual cycle

56. GEO -East