The Next Generation of Earth Networks Lightning Digital Signal Processor

Lightning location data is an integral part of weather safety, being used for alerting as well as severe storm nowcasting. This data relies on networks of sophisticated hardware and software to accurately locate and characterize lightning in real-time to provide the best information possible. The Earth Networks Total Lightning Network (ENTLN) is a system of over 1800 wideband electric field sensors distributed around the world. While this technology still provides cutting edge performance, the underlying hardware has not been significantly modified since the network’s inception in 2009. For the past several years, the entire ENTLN system has been undergoing a complete redesign, starting with the real-time lightning data processor and the analog antenna. This presentation will describe the next stage in the network’s upgrade: completely redesigning the digital signal processing (DSP) unit. The DSP handles the complex and proprietary Earth Networks data filtering and compression algorithms as well as data transmission to the central processing system. The new hardware will significantly increase the capabilities of the sensor, improving processing power and sensitivity. Furthermore, we are adding and improving features to ensure the sensors are even easier to maintain than the current iteration, which is integral to successfully running such a large network of sensors. Here we will describe the upgrades to the system, showcase some early field tests, and outline our plans for deployment to the field.