Lightning Location Display

Lightning Location Data
Lightning Location System
Lightning Protection Audits

The display software runs on IBM PC compatible machines within the Microsoft Windows environment.

Subscribers to the EA Technology Lighting Location System receive lightning information on-line as lightning occurs. This enables customers to watch the passage of an approaching storm live. Each new strike appears on screen within seconds. Indeed it is possible to see a flash in the sky and observe the data arrive on the screen, before hearing the clap of thunder. The benefits available from having this kind of up-to-the-minute information can be enormous.

The lightning information received is stored locally on the customers computer network. This provides the user with the facility to examine stored data. Bespoke software allows stored data to be replayed at accelerated speed over any

chosen time period. Colour prints of a display map sho wing all the strikes within a given period and area can be produced, as can a list of strike information within a given period, some statistical analysis and density maps.

The time taken to locate trouble spots following lightning damage is drastically reduced by knowing where to look. By archiving the information over a period of time the effectiveness of the protection systems may be assessed, leading to better investment policy decisions.

Flashes are displayed within seconds of their occurrence on an outline map of the British and north west coast of Continental Europe. Pan and zoom of the display are provided, with a resolution down to 1 kilometre. Overlays indicating the location of the users plant or other geographic features may be added. The strike position indicators are colour coded, representing the time of the strike.

Detailed information about a strike, such as date, time, position and uncertainty in location, can be obtained by selecting the strike indicator. The strike position is given in latitude and longitude as well as in Ordnance Survey National Grid Reference co-ordinates. In addition a multiplicity counter is reported for restrikes.