A satellite instrument capable of continuously detecting lightning across Europe and Africa is now activated

About the episode

ESA and Eumetsat today released the first images from the Lightning Imager aboard the first third-generation Meteosat satellite, launched in 2022.

The instrument can continuously detect fast flashes of light in the Earth’s atmosphere, day or night, at a distance of 36,000 kilometers. Each of the four onboard cameras can capture up to 1000 frames per second. In this way, he will constantly observe lightning activity from space. For 84% of the Earth’s surface.

Data from the Lightning Imager will provide meteorologists with greater confidence in their predictions of severe storms, especially in remote areas and over oceans where lightning detection capabilities are limited. Which can make a big difference for the aviation sector, among others. The data should also help to understand the consequences of these types of weather events on climate change.

The data should be available with increased sensitivity in early 2024. The satellite the instrument is mounted on is the first of six satellites that will collect critical weather data from space over the next 20 years.

Watch the animations here: MTG Lightning Imager Animations.