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Instrument

LDAR
Lightning Detection and Ranging

The Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR) instrumentation network is a volumetric lightning mapping system located at the Kennedy Space Center; with a center location at 28.54N and 80.64W. The LDAR system provided near-real time support of lightning occurrence and location for the Space Shuttle missions. The seven antennas that comprise the LDAR network allow detection of 99% of all intra-cloud and cloud to ground flashes that occur within 10 kilometers of the instrumentation. Each antenna detects the 66 Megahertz Very High Frequency (VHF) pulse from an intra-cloud flash and an electric field detector detects cloud to ground flashes by measuring changes to the electric field from the flash. The root mean square error of the location of each of the detected flashes varies between 100 meters from within the network to approximately 10 kilometers within 90 kilometers outside the network. Data from the LDAR system are currently provided by the Global Hydrology Resource Center.

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory passes Antarctica's tallest peak, Mount Vinson, on Oct. 22, 2012, during a flight over the continent to measure changes in the massive ice sheet and sea ice. Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger (Photography courtesy NASA Images)

Instrument Details

Magnetic/Electric
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Electricity > Electric Field
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Electricity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Electricity > Lightning
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Weather Events > Lightning
Troposphere
10 nanoseconds
This data will be added in future versions
66MHz
External Linkhttps://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19790025501