Earth ID: 3144

Global Lightning Flash Rate Density (WMS)

Visualizations by Jeff de La Beaujardiere Released on April 14, 2005

Lightning is a brief but intense electrical discharge between positive and negative regions of a thunderstorm.The Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite was designed to study the distribution and variability of total lightning on a global basis. The Optical Transient Detector (OTD) was an earlier lightning detector flying aboard the Microlab-1 spacecraft. The data shown here are compiled from LIS (1998-2002) and OTD (1995-1999) observations. Because each satellite saw only a part of the Earth at any one time, these data use complex algorithms to estimate total flash rate density (number of flashes per square kilometer per year) based on the flashes observed and the amount of time the satellite views each area.

This image shows the global lightning flash rate density for the entire observing period. The data pixels are 0.5deg on a side (720x360 pixels globally). This single image is equivalent to the final frame of animation #3143, but at a spatial resolution that is 5 times better.

This product is available through our Web Map Service.

This color scale for the lighting flash rate density image ranges from deep blue (less than 10 flashes per square kilometer per year) through deep red (more than 100 flashes per square kilometer per year).

Visualization Credits

Jeff de La Beaujardiere (NASA): Lead Animator
Jeff Halverson (JCET UMBC): Scientist

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

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https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3144

Mission:
Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission - TRMM

Data Used:

Microlab-1/OTD/Lightning

1995/04 - 1999

view all stories where this data set is used

TRMM/LIS/Lightning

1998 - 2002/12

view all stories where this data set is used

Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

This item is part of these series:
TRMM Lightning
WMS

Keywords:
DLESE >> Atmospheric science
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Atmosphere >> Atmospheric Electricity >> Lightning
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Atmosphere >> Atmospheric Phenomena >> Lightning
GCMD >> Location >> Global
NASA Science >> Earth

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0