Analysing lightning data from two spatially separate magnetic direction finders
| dc.contributor.author | Rice, David Andrew | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2009-03-23T11:24:05Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2009-03-23T11:24:05Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2009-03-23T11:24:05Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Two lightning detectors, of the magnetic direction finder type, form part of a two station system for determining the position of lightning strikes. The detectors are on a baseline of approximately 600 m, and the ultimate aim of the system is to accurately detect and map lightning within a radius of 30 km. Although no real time capability is present, the archive data collected from each separate station is used to find the offset errors in the azimuthal orientation, as well as in time (using processes described in Appendix A). The relative offset errors are determined by shifting the time and azimuthal information for one station’s data and calculating the maximum possible matching records (within certain time and azimuth criteria) for each incremental shift. An analysis of the peaks in total matching records, when plotted against the relevant shift increments, is performed in order to obtain the values of the offset errors. Between the two individual stations, the relative offset in orientation is found to be 24.5 degrees, and in time to be 0.001305 days (112.75 seconds). The individual stations, as well as the triangulated data calculated from matching records, can also be calibrated using data from the South African Weather Service Lightning Detection Network (SAWSLDN). Individual station calibration indicated an offset of +6.4 degrees and 0.00575 days (496.8 seconds) for Station 1, with the offsets for Station 2 determined as +29.4 degrees and −0.000105 days (9.07 seconds). Comparison of triangulated data to SAWSLDN data yields unexpected results with regard to resultant shifts, which may point to an error or anomaly in the triangulation calculations. A detailed analysis of the storm data is contained in Appendix B of the dissertation. | en |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10539/6776 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en |
| dc.subject | Lightning Lightning location system Magnetic direction finder | |
| dc.title | Analysing lightning data from two spatially separate magnetic direction finders | en |
| dc.type | Thesis | en |