Synthesis of 3-Dimensional Lightning Data and Weather Radar Data to Determine the Distance That Naturally Occurring Lightning Travels From Thunderstorms

<p>Lightning has an impact on Air Force operations in the air and on the ground. Delays to flight or maintenance activities are some of the common consequences that result from thunderstorms approaching an active airfield. These delays can degrade a unit's mission effectiveness but their impact is nothing compared to the potential fallout when valuable equipment or much worse when personnel are struck by lightning. As such determining how far naturally occurring lightning normally travels from thunderstorms can provide insight to decision makers concerning in-flight and ground safety measures. 3D lightning data from the Kennedy Space Center was merged with archived weather radar data from Melbourne Florida. To analyze the radar characteristics of lightning the radar data was interpolated to a 3D grid of reflectivity to permit direct extraction of reflectivity values. More than 19000 lightning flashes were analyzed to resolve the composite reflectivity of the flash origin and to determine the horizontal distance of the flash origin from the nearest radar reflectivity core: defined as a radar reflectivity factor (dBZ) of greater than 40 dBZ. More than 8500 flashes were used for similar base reflectivity computations.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>