The GOES-R Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM)

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) is the next series to follow the existing GOES system currently operating over the Western Hemisphere. Superior spacecraft and instrument technology will support expanded detection of environmental phenomena, resulting in more timely and accurate forecasts and warnings. Advancements over current GOES capabilities include a new capability for total lightning detection (cloud and cloud-to-ground flashes) from the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM), and improved capability for the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI). The Geostationary Lighting Mapper (GLM) will map total lightning activity (in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lighting flashes) continuously day and night with near-uniform spatial resolution of 8 km with a product refresh rate of less than 20 sec over the Americas and adjacent oceanic regions. This will aid in forecasting severe storms and tornado activity, and convective weather impacts on aviation safety and efficiency among a number of potential applications. In parallel with the instrument development (a prototype and 4 flight models), a GOES-R Risk Reduction Team and Algorithm Working Group Lightning Applications Team have begun to develop the Level 2 algorithms (environmental data records), cal/val performance monitoring tools, and new applications using GLM alone, in combination with the ABI, merged with ground-based sensors, and decision aids augmented by numerical weather prediction model forecasts. Proxy total lightning data from the NASA Lightning Imaging Sensor on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite and regional test beds are being used to develop the pre-launch algorithms and applications, and also improve our knowledge of thunderstorm initiation and evolution. An international field campaign planned for 2011-2012 will produce concurrent observations from a VHF lightning mapping array, Meteosat multi-band imagery, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) overpasses, and related ground and in-situ lightning and meteorological measurements in the vicinity of Sao Paulo. These data will provide a new comprehensive proxy data set for algorithm and application development.

The Intracloud Lightning Fraction in the Contiguous United States

“…The GOES-R satellite reached geostationary orbit on 29 November 2016 and is now called GOES-16. After an approximately 9-month Post Launch Test and validation phase, GLM will provide fully validated continuous TL observations with nearuniform spatial resolution by measuring radiance at the cloud tops produced by all types of lightning [see Goodman et al (2013) for additional benefits of GLM]. The GOES-16 will replace GOES-East and GOES-S/17 will replace GOES-West as shown in Fig.…”

Enveloped Eyewall Lightning: The EEL Signature in Tropical Cyclones

“…Networks with DE that decrease with increasing distance from land will detect and locate less lightning over the open oceans, resulting in a limited view of the lightning in TCs, including in the eyewall. The Geostationary Lightning Mapper on the GOES-16 satellite is reported to have similar DE to GLD360 (Goodman et al 2013), but it has just begun collecting data, so it remains to be seen what signatures will emerge in TC lightning with this new instrument.…”

Lightning Decision Support Using VHF Total Lightning Mapping and NLDN Cloud-to-Ground Data in North Alabama

“…The benefit of GLM is that its performance for lightning detection is nearly uniform across the entire field of view of GOES-16 (Goodman et al 2013). One major drawback is that GLM cannot discriminate IC flashes from CG flashes on a flash by flash basis (e.g., Koshak and Solakiewicz 2015).…”

“…Discussion also will be presented about the opportunities and challenges of extending these findings to GOES-16's Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM; Goodman et al 2013). This work directly supports the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at MSFC, which has the primary responsibility to notify operational entities and employees of the threat of lightning to MSFC.…”