Publication

Performance Evaluation of Meteosat Third Generation Lightning Imager in Detecting Lightning Discharges

2025

Abstract

We present an evaluation of the performance of Meteosat Lightning Imager (MTG-LI) in detecting lightning flashes. To achieve this, we applied a Bayesian relative detection efficiency (RDE) analysis using the European ground-based lightning detection network (ALDIS/BLIDS) as reference. The analysis involved pairing each ALDIS/BLIDS stroke/pulse with corresponding MTG-LI level-2 groups. Between July 2024 and January 2025, MTG-LI detected 50 to 54% of groups and 62 to 63% of flashes relative to ALDIS/BLIDS in datasets covering nationwide data (Switzerland and Austria) and dominated by downward cloud-to-ground and intracloud flashes. For context, the International Space Station Lightning Imaging Sensor, assessed with identical matching criteria, reaches only 36.5% group-level and 48.4% flash-level RDE. In regions near tall structures such as the Säntis (2502 m) and Gaisberg (1287 m) towers, where upward flashes dominate, MTG-LI demonstrated significantly higher performance, detecting 68 to 70% of groups and 70 to 73% of flashes relative to ALDIS/BLIDS.

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/6fb8b433-8c90-49f8-bf8b-7086449a474d

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

2025

Abstract

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/6fb8b433-8c90-49f8-bf8b-7086449a474d

About this result

Related concepts (19)

Lightning

Lightning is a natural phenomenon formed by electrostatic discharges through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions, either both in the atmosphere or with one in the atmosphere and on the ground, temporarily neutralizing these in a near-instantaneous release of an average of one gigajoule of energy. This discharge may produce a wide range of electromagnetic radiation, from heat created by the rapid movement of electrons, to brilliant flashes of visible light in the form of black-body radiation.

Lightning detection

A lightning detector is a device that detects lightning produced by thunderstorms. There are three primary types of detectors: ground-based systems using multiple antennas, mobile systems using a direction and a sense antenna in the same location (often aboard an aircraft), and space-based systems. The first such device was invented in 1894 by Alexander Stepanovich Popov. It also was the first radio receiver in the world.

Upper-atmospheric lightning

Upper-atmospheric lightning and ionospheric lightning are terms sometimes used by researchers to refer to a family of short-lived electrical-breakdown phenomena that occur well above the altitudes of normal lightning and storm clouds. Upper-atmospheric lightning is believed to be electrically induced forms of luminous plasma. The preferred usage is transient luminous event (TLE), because the various types of electrical-discharge phenomena in the upper atmosphere lack several characteristics of the more familiar tropospheric lightning.

Related publications (2)

Performance Evaluation of Meteosat Third Generation Lightning Imager in Detecting Lightning Discharges

Chat with Graph Search

Lightning-induced voltages on complex distribution systems: models, advanced software tools and experimental validation

On the enhancement of radiated electric and magnetic fields associated with lightning return strokes to tall structures