How are they getting the data?
The WWLLN has been around for awhile doing this sort of thing, though not in nearly as accessible a manner: http://wwlln.net/ They use VLF radio detection to triangulate strikes.
These guys should co-operate.
Real-time lightning map, worldwide
21–30 of 67 posts
Re: Real-time lightning map, worldwide
#22How are they getting the data?
(This is getting a bit pedantic but this is HN so we like to be accurate. And I learned the word on HN so might as well pass it on.) Several of the other answers have mentioned "triangulation" but that's not quite right--that would imply that each listening station measures an angle towards the lightning source. But they don't--instead, they collect non-directional data consisting of arrival time stamps. I believe th…
From your own source: "Multilateration is a navigation technique based on the measurement of the difference in distance to two stations at known locations that broadcast signals at known times....Multilateration should not be confused with trilateration, which uses distances or absolute measurements of time-of-flight from three or more sites"
Re: Real-time lightning map, worldwide
#23How are they getting the data?
The WWLLN has been around for awhile doing this sort of thing, though not in nearly as accessible a manner: http://wwlln.net/ They use VLF radio detection to triangulate strikes.
the new visualization map is cool: http://wwlln.net/new/map/
Re: Real-time lightning map, worldwide
#24Europe: 1489 strikes Oceania: 28 strikes Asia: 0 strikes South America: 913 strikes North America: 15,826 strikes!!
It's not the reality, it's just reflecting the coverage.
True, of course, but it's also worth remarking that there are huge spatial differences in lightning frequency due to the specific mechanisms causing thunderstorms.
I live in the U.S., and you rarely see t-storms on the Pacific coast here because the nearby Pacific Ocean is cool (due, in turn, to cool water brought down by the clockwise-turning North Pacific Gyre). But t-storms are very common in the Midwest and South due to the presence of warm, moist air there.
Re: Real-time lightning map, worldwide
#25This is so cool!!
This is absolutely amazing indeed! I wonder if the maps of blitzortnung (please change the name! To blitztracker or something.) match with data from commercial/public weather stations like metox:
http://meteox.com/h.aspx?r=&jaar=-3&soort=loop1uur&lightning...
Hard to compare as blitzortnung is realtime. Hmm.
Re: Real-time lightning map, worldwide
#26the range on those detectors is amazing.
It's huge. Normally, the curvature of the earth would make it impossible to detect anything at such distances. But the ionosphere's lower levels act like a waveguide [1], (and this tells you which frequencies you should listen on to take advantage of this).
The craziest phenomenon of this kind is whistlers [2]. Lightning strikes can be heard on radio at a point on the earth exactly symmetrical to the source, using the equator as plane of symmetry. In fact, the signal bounces around back and forth between the two points, following a line on the magnetosphere. The ones closer to the poles have longer paths, and their frequencies can get spread out over 3-4 seconds as they bounce around.
[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%E2%80%93ionosphere_wavegu...
Re: Real-time lightning map, worldwide
#27I see they have engineered their own detectors [1], but could cellphones be used as EMP detectors? They have GPS and antennas after all. [1] http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en&page=3
Looks like Nokia had some plans (or at least patented something related) in 2007 [1]. According to ComputerWorld "The invention involves the use of radio frequency receivers in mobile phones, such as FM radio and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), to detect radio waves emitted by lightning."
Does lightning have any effect on the sensors that detect the geomagnetic field? Maybe even some small anomalies in the readings could be useful if many devices were working together.
[1] http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9021121/Nokia_to_add_...
Re: Real-time lightning map, worldwide
#28They also have an overlay for Google maps:
Re: Real-time lightning map, worldwide
#29How are they getting the data?
(This is getting a bit pedantic but this is HN so we like to be accurate. And I learned the word on HN so might as well pass it on.) Several of the other answers have mentioned "triangulation" but that's not quite right--that would imply that each listening station measures an angle towards the lightning source. But they don't--instead, they collect non-directional data consisting of arrival time stamps. I believe th…
Wikipedia article on sound ranging provides a nice 2d picture and example on how this works (in the context of detecting enemy artillery using an array of microphones).
Re: Real-time lightning map, worldwide
#30Was anyone else who has played the game Defcon a bit disturbed by this?