Lightning Types Blitzortung Hardware Detects

[Sleepypup]

I have read in a few places on the forum that the Blitzortung network in its current configuration primarily if not entirely detects only cloud to ground strokes.  Is that an accurate statement?  I understand IC and CC are difficult to plot accurately and are generally weaker signals.  I want to make sure when explaining the network to others I am providing the correct information.

Thanks.

[mwaters]

Yes, it primarily detects cloud-to-ground strikes.

I'm pretty sure that the C-C feature was never fully implemented by the developers. The third channel with the antenna nulls pointing directly up-and-down was originally intended for that. However, this is not to say that it does not detect them. I believe that it does.

Every once in a while, I hear some loud booms which sound quite a bit different than cloud-to-ground strikes, and the sound does not last near as as long as cloud-to-ground strikes. Looking at the lightning map, I see blue dots. I believe those are the CC lightning. I've seen those quite a bit in the last couple of months or so.

[cutty]

I might approach such situations with a summary of the explanation on the 'Cover Your Area" page.  That's the official project description..

Suggested 'thoughts'... 
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"The Blitzortung Network curently does NOT attempt to "Label" any 'Sferic' by type, or any other parameter other then "Time" and "Location".  Assume ALL are CG/GC if you will.. However because of the nature of CC/IC strokes, the location position can be VERY dubious, using the network paradigms..  Many signals will NOT be actual 'strokes', but 'atmosphereic  / ionospheric discharges' which coincidentally resemble a 'stroke'... we refer to those as 'false positives'. 


Can a Blitzortung System receive various lightning types?  YES
So can an AM Radio.

Will the Blitzortung Network Process and Locate lightning types such as CC / IC?  Depends. Perhaps... and they will show in public data if processed... but they are of lower priority, presently, for many, many reasons.
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Although a Blitzortung system, or an AM Radio can receive a Sferic's impulse energy -- standing alone, neither can Detect (identify as a 'stroke) or LOCATE, or Type Classify a Sferic. 
The MAIN focus,  is LOCATING CG (or it's brother, GC), since those are the most dangerous to life and property, cause wildfires, enrich soil with nitrogen...
The Blitzortung NETWORK  attempts to LOCATE a stroke's Discharge Position as accurately as possible -for CG, GC --that is, its 'Ground Point' -  by definition. a CC or IC impulse group does not have a 'ground point'. "

CG - GC impoulses are the easiest to separate from the incredible EM, plasmic, ioniized,  energy fields produced by a cell... and if a viable discharge pulse is received by enough stations, it can be 'assumed' to be CG or GC.. but in fact MAY be an Anvil Crawler, or whatever"

Additionally, if operating within the NORMAL / typical configurations, and depending on LOCATION, antenna types and orientations, and settings, such a receiver will generally send viable data ONLY for Vertically Polarized impulses.  The tracker/servers don't care about polarity, but remember enough other stations must operate in similar mode for other polarities..

In fact, any given system can "receive" various types of Sferics... (CG, IC, CC,SIDS,) e.g.  BUT classifying that 'impulse energy as a confirmed "Stroke" and then generating location data is where the Network  (multiple 'receivers'), and the computers which receive that data, and examine it,  perform there magic.   Blitzortung DOES NOT work on 'DF' or other "triangulation" principles, but rather TOA/TOGA algorithms, with a twist or two.  A receiver can send immense data, and RED and BLUE Systems are capable of sending enough data to perform all kinds of magic.

[mwaters]

Well said. To be clear, I didn't mean to imply that all blue dots are C-C. Just the ones I described that were in my general vicinity a few times with the sounds that I described.

Any thought on that sound?

[Sleepypup]

Thanks for the tutorial.  A recent severe storm system passed close to my location (not over head).  I shared a screenshot of the Lightningmaps.org recorded strokes with an observer who was out in the thick of the storm taking pictures.   He said 'I think those would be nearly 100% C2C.'    Got me thinking would it even be possible for the network to digest and plot so many C2C strokes so accurately.

[cutty]

Well said. To be clear,  I didn't mean to imply that all blue dots are C-C. Just the ones I described that were in my general vicinity a few times with the sounds that I described.

Any thought on that sound?

C Channel on H field... simply as a 'third channel' for Delta Config... or, Hopefully, mounted for reception of Horizontally polarized impulses.. (Convential setup is for reception Vertically Polarized impulses)..

As such, it would function as an Omni H field antenna, requiring only the one pointing vertically... had little or nothing do do with specifically 'CC/IC types...  remember, anybody can "receive"... but takes 4 minmum indepent station signals to determine and plot a stroke.. Receiving of sferics/noise/discharges/EM Activity, done by individule station, "Detection (recognition/Identification) and then 'locating, done by NETWORK Tracker/server from signal data of multiple stations.

I suppose those short duration, no 'crackle' Booms could be 'IC/CC' or atmospheric discharge, or almost anything else that doesn't have a loud echo...a Bolide Meteor (yes, I've trackied at least 2 meteor trails skiipping in and out of upper air, producing discharges... or beileve them to be... wish i had 'film'... .  or simply a distant discharge where the 'echoes' and 'less intense secondaries simply don't audibly make it through current air content..