The sensor is scheduled to launch on a Space Exploration Technologies rocket to the International Space Station in August 2016. The team at Marshall that created LIS in the mid-1990s built a spare - and now that second unit is stepping up to contribute, as well.

By analyzing a narrow wavelength band around 777 nanometers - which is in the near-infrared region of the spectrum – the sensors can spot brief lightning flashes even under bright daytime conditions that swamp out the small lightning signal. LIS uses a specialized, high-speed imaging system to look for changes in the optical output caused by lightning in the tops of clouds. “Our research using LIS observations in new ways is a prime example of how NASA partners with scientists all over the world to better understand and appreciate our home planet,” said Blakeslee.ĭeveloped at Marshall, LIS detects the distribution and variability of total lightning – cloud-to-cloud, intracloud, and cloud to ground – that occurs in the tropical regions of the globe. The study also confirmed earlier findings that concentrated lightning activity tends to happen over land and reduced lightning activity over oceans and that continental lightning peaks generally in the afternoon. The majority of the hotspots were by Lake Victoria and other lakes along the East African Rift Valley, which have a similar geography to Lake Maracaibo. These unique conditions contribute to the development of persistent deep convection resulting in an average of 297 nocturnal thunderstorms per year, peaking in September.Īfrica remains the continent with the most lightning hotspots, according to the study, home to six of the world’s top ten sites for lightning activity. Beacon of Maracaibo (also called Maracaibo lightning/Catatumbo lightning) refers to the phenomenon of relentless lightning which goes on for nearly 300 days. Storms commonly form there at night as mountain breezes develop and converge over the warm, moist air over the lake. Located in northwest Venezuela along part of the Andes Mountains, it is the largest lake in South America. “Lake Maracaibo has a unique geography and climatology that is ideal for the development of thunderstorms,” said Dennis Buechler with the University of Alabama in Huntsville.īuechler noted that Lake Maracaibo is not new to lightning researchers. Watch SeeYouOutsideShow video about Catatumbo L. Their findings will help forecasters and researchers better understand lightning and its connections to weather and other phenomena. Venezuela’s Lake Maracaibo is home to a legendary lightning storm that has been going on for over 500 years. The lakes proximity to the Andes and the Caribbean Sea set the conditions for a so-called never ending storm, with lightning storms occurring almost 300 days of the year. “Better understanding of lightning activity around the world enables policy makers, government agencies and other stakeholders to make more informed decisions related to weather and climate.”īlakeslee joined forces with lightning researchers at the University of São Paulo, the University of Maryland, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the University of Alabama in Huntsville to understand where and when most lightning occurs. For landscape photographer and storm chaser Jonas Piontek, Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela is practically paradise.

“We can now observe lightning flash rate density in very fine detail on a global scale,” said Richard Blakeslee, LIS project scientist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. They described their research in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. The research team constructed a very high resolution data set derived from 16 years of space-based LIS observations to identify and rank lightning hotspots. Venezuelas 'Eternal' Lightning Storm (CATATUMBO LIGHTNING) - YouTube. Researchers had previously identified Africa’s Congo Basin as the location of maximum lightning activity. Wallis are able to offer earth electrode system designs and associated testing services using the most up-to-date equipment and design software ‘CDEGS’.Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela earned the top spot, receiving an average rate of about 233 flashes per square kilometer per year, according to the study. Our team of highly experienced professional Engineers & Technicians design Lightning Protection Systems (LPS) to the IEC 62305 standard or local derivative. To complement our highly successful material supply business, we also offer a complete Electrical Earthing Design Service.

Venezuela lightning storm