Earth networks lightning overview

Earth Networks records lightning waveforms at 700 sites around the world, and from those waveforms calculates latitudes, longitudes, and heights. Years ago VHF sensors have shown that a system that sees cloud and ground flashes predicts severe weather better than a system that only sees ground flashes. VHF systems see cloud flashes over areas usually less than 200 kilometers in size. Earth Networks wanted to build a network that could see small cloud flashes over an entire country. VHF sensors see small cloud flashes, but cannot see long distances. LF sensors see long distances, but cannot see small cloud pulses. Earth Networks´ upper frequency is between LF and VHF, to see in cloud lightning at greater distances than VHF. The in cloud lightning data is used to warn of severe weather, to estimate rainfall, and to warn of cloud to ground lightning.