WWLLN
World Wide Lightning Location Network

Asking your opinion and comments

The WWLLN is managed and operated by the University of Washington for Low Frequency ElectroMagnetics Research, Inc (LF*EM) and holds exclusive rights to distribution of the lightning data. WWLLN is a research network involving a collaboration between universities and institutions around the globe for collecting VLF radio sferic data for use in determining the time and location of lightning anywhere in the world.

We are asking those occasional or regular users of our web pages for your feedback about your use of these data and about your suggestions and wishes for improvements to our web pages. Please take a moment and email me your comments in this regard, to help future network development. Thanks, Robert Holzworth, WWLLN Operations Manager

For your information, here are some facts about the system:

Presently 26 WWLLN lightning sferic receiving stations around the world (see the circles with the red * on the WWLLN World map )

Frequency Range for VLF sferics: 0 to 24 kHz

Lightning Location Accuracy: 10 to 15 km (about the wavelength of the radio waves we detect, and on the spatial dimension of most thunderstorms)

Lightning Time accuracy: < 30 microseconds

Antennas: short electric dipoles, allowing operation even in noisy environments

Both in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning are located

Detection threshold: We detect 5 to 10% of all lightning with peak current greater than approximately 45 kiloAmps. (based on studies with regional networks in Brazil, New Zealand, and the USA.)

WWLLN operates on data sales and is not funded by any governmental grants.

WWLLN data are available for purchase for both archival data back to August 2003, as well as near-realtime internet-delivered data with a cadence of 10 minutes.

New WWLLN hosts are welcome and should also contact me. In exchange for hosting WWLLN stations, hosts receive all the global lightning data.

Operations Manager: Prof. Robert Holzworth, Earth and Space Sciences, and Physics Dept., University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Founder and new WWLLN station Manager: Prof. (emeritus) Richard L. Dowden, Univ. of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand and Director of LF*EM Research, Inc.

Additional Management Team Members Prof. Craig Rodger, Physics Dept, Univ. of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

Ms. Erin Lay, Physics Dept., Univ. of Washington, Seattle

Prof. Abram Jacobson, Earth and Space Sciences, Univ. of Washington, Seattle

For a list of hosts, see our main web page

Prof Robert Holzworth of the University of Washington and Prof. Richard