TRMM-LIS Lightning Climatology and Time Series

Spaced-based optical measurements of lightning have been recorded by the Optical Transient Detector (OTD) from 1995-2000 and by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) from late 1997 to early 2015.  Gridded climatologies of lightning have been generated and updated over the years, using data from these sensors.  The TRMM satellite sensors were turned off in April 2015 and the satellite de-orbited in June 2015.  We present here a summary of the lightning climatology products after updating them with data through the end of the TRMM mission.

Another Lightning Imaging Sensor is scheduled to be launched to the International Space Station (ISS-LIS) in late 2016.  The first Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) is scheduled to launch on the GOES-R satellite in late 2016.  We will briefly discuss topics that can be investigated by combining data from these new sensors with the TRMM-LIS and OTD climatology products.  Because of the TRMM satellite's 35° inclination, our high-latitude data has thus far been limited to the ~5-year record from OTD.  ISS-LIS (52° inclination, with lightning detection to 54°) will collect high latitude lightning data that can be used both to compare/contrast with the late 1990's OTD data, and to improve the sample size and decrease sample-related noise in the high-latitude part of the climatologies.  GLM will provide continuous lightning measurements for parts of the Western Hemisphere, allowing a more thorough examination of uncertainties related to sampling from low earth orbit with the other sensors.