Network of Wideband Digital Receivers for Global Storm Identification

Complete global information about convective storms is hindered by poor coverage of the oceans where there are few observing stations and insufficient data from satellites. Reception of very low and extra low frequency sferics from lightning by a network of wideband digital receivers will provide a more complete database for weather prediction. The receivers convert the received signals into digital format immediately after a front-end preamplifier, and use digital signal processing to execute identification algorithms on several bands simultaneously. The network will support atmospheric research with full-spectrum capture of sferics data and execution of experimental algorithms while maintaining its monitoring function. Phase I will identify the optimum system architecture for the receiver, Phase II will result in a tested receiver, and Phase III will implement the network.