Quality Control Technique for Ground-Based Lightning Detection Data Based on Multi-Source Data over China

Lightning is one of the most severe natural disasters, characterized by its sudden onset, short duration, and significant damage. Existing quality control (QC) schemes for millisecond-level lightning observation data from a single source are primarily limited by the instrument and equipment, leading...

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Main Authors: Yongfang Xu, Yan Shen, Xiaowei Jiang, Fengyun Tian, Lei Cao, Nan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Remote Sensing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/11/1928
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author Yongfang Xu
Yan Shen
Xiaowei Jiang
Fengyun Tian
Lei Cao
Nan Wang
author_facet Yongfang Xu
Yan Shen
Xiaowei Jiang
Fengyun Tian
Lei Cao
Nan Wang
author_sort Yongfang Xu
collection DOAJ
description Lightning is one of the most severe natural disasters, characterized by its sudden onset, short duration, and significant damage. Existing quality control (QC) schemes for millisecond-level lightning observation data from a single source are primarily limited by the instrument and equipment, leading to inadequate monitoring, forecasting, and early warning accuracy in severe convective weather. This study proposes a comprehensive QC scheme for lightning location data from the China Meteorological Administration ground-based National Lightning Detection Network (CMA-LDN). The scheme integrates radar composite reflectivity (CREF) and FY-4A cloud-top brightness temperature (TBB), exploring the coupled relationship between lightning activity and severe weather processes. Through experimental analysis of convective processes over different time periods, QC thresholds are established based on the CREF, TBB, and area ratio. In this research, CREF ≥ 10 dBZ, TBB ≤ 270 K, and an 80% area ratio are tuned to filter false signals. Based on the regional threshold and area ratio results, gross error elimination and spatiotemporal clustering are combined to achieve an overall QC rate of 28.7%. The most effective quality control (QC) method is spatial-temporal clustering, achieving a QC efficiency of 20.9%. The processed lightning data are further merged with CREF and generated a 1 km and 6 min resolution lightning location dataset, which significantly improves the accuracy of ground-based lightning detection and supports operational forecasting of severe convective weather.
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spelling doaj-art-6f890fff48bd4f11abe23a092fe24b662025-08-20T02:33:08ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-06-011711192810.3390/rs17111928Quality Control Technique for Ground-Based Lightning Detection Data Based on Multi-Source Data over ChinaYongfang Xu0Yan Shen1Xiaowei Jiang2Fengyun Tian3Lei Cao4Nan Wang5National Meteorological Information Centre, Beijing 100081, ChinaNational Meteorological Information Centre, Beijing 100081, ChinaNational Meteorological Information Centre, Beijing 100081, ChinaNational Meteorological Information Centre, Beijing 100081, ChinaNational Meteorological Information Centre, Beijing 100081, ChinaCangzhou Meteorological Bureau, Cangzhou 061018, ChinaLightning is one of the most severe natural disasters, characterized by its sudden onset, short duration, and significant damage. Existing quality control (QC) schemes for millisecond-level lightning observation data from a single source are primarily limited by the instrument and equipment, leading to inadequate monitoring, forecasting, and early warning accuracy in severe convective weather. This study proposes a comprehensive QC scheme for lightning location data from the China Meteorological Administration ground-based National Lightning Detection Network (CMA-LDN). The scheme integrates radar composite reflectivity (CREF) and FY-4A cloud-top brightness temperature (TBB), exploring the coupled relationship between lightning activity and severe weather processes. Through experimental analysis of convective processes over different time periods, QC thresholds are established based on the CREF, TBB, and area ratio. In this research, CREF ≥ 10 dBZ, TBB ≤ 270 K, and an 80% area ratio are tuned to filter false signals. Based on the regional threshold and area ratio results, gross error elimination and spatiotemporal clustering are combined to achieve an overall QC rate of 28.7%. The most effective quality control (QC) method is spatial-temporal clustering, achieving a QC efficiency of 20.9%. The processed lightning data are further merged with CREF and generated a 1 km and 6 min resolution lightning location dataset, which significantly improves the accuracy of ground-based lightning detection and supports operational forecasting of severe convective weather.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/11/1928lightningfalse alarm signalsquality controlradar composite reflectivityFY-4A black body temperatureregional thresholds
spellingShingle Yongfang Xu
Yan Shen
Xiaowei Jiang
Fengyun Tian
Lei Cao
Nan Wang
Quality Control Technique for Ground-Based Lightning Detection Data Based on Multi-Source Data over China
Remote Sensing
lightning
false alarm signals
quality control
radar composite reflectivity
FY-4A black body temperature
regional thresholds
title Quality Control Technique for Ground-Based Lightning Detection Data Based on Multi-Source Data over China
title_full Quality Control Technique for Ground-Based Lightning Detection Data Based on Multi-Source Data over China
title_fullStr Quality Control Technique for Ground-Based Lightning Detection Data Based on Multi-Source Data over China
title_full_unstemmed Quality Control Technique for Ground-Based Lightning Detection Data Based on Multi-Source Data over China
title_short Quality Control Technique for Ground-Based Lightning Detection Data Based on Multi-Source Data over China
title_sort quality control technique for ground based lightning detection data based on multi source data over china
topic lightning
false alarm signals
quality control
radar composite reflectivity
FY-4A black body temperature
regional thresholds
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/11/1928
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AT fengyuntian qualitycontroltechniqueforgroundbasedlightningdetectiondatabasedonmultisourcedataoverchina
AT leicao qualitycontroltechniqueforgroundbasedlightningdetectiondatabasedonmultisourcedataoverchina
AT nanwang qualitycontroltechniqueforgroundbasedlightningdetectiondatabasedonmultisourcedataoverchina