Lightning locating using interferometry technique

Abstract

Study of lightning location is increased nowadays because of the high effect and hazard from lightning. Several techniques were developed to detect the lightning location. This project concentrates on the detection of a lightning location using the interferometry method. The system consists of four parallel plate antennas. Three of the antennas were placed at 14.5 meter apart to form two perpendicular base lines and the fourth is diagonally located at 75.58 meter distance away from antenna 2. The azimuth and elevation angle of the radiation source are determined by a set of three antennas, the fourth antenna is used to determine the exact position of the radiation source. The lightning signal was detected and recorded using Lecroy oscilloscope and the data obtained by all antennas were analyzed using the Matlab software. The system was controlled remotely using Team Viewer software to make work easy and more reliable. This project has detected only one lightning signal that can be analyzed. This situation happened because of the low probability of having a coincidence of lightning strike at location of the antennas. The result of the analysis is the azimuth and elevation angle and X-Y-Z location of the lightning signal detected. In general, the objective of present study was successfully achieved.