Conceptual Design of Extreme Weather Observation using Lightning Detection Network and Micro-Satellite for EWS over Indonesian Territory

In the last 10 years, based on Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) data, the number of hydro-meteorological disasters have been increasing. These hydro-meteorological disasters mainly pertain to flood, landslide, wildfire, Small Scale Tornado (SST), among others. High intensity rainfall is an extreme weather condition that is considered as one of the causes of hydrological disasters. Previous researches have mentioned lightning as a good proxy for storm activity. This research aimed to develop an observation and prediction methodology for extreme weather events such as torrential rain based on the combination of continuous lightning measurement and on-demand by surface lightning detection network with remote sensing instrument, a micro-satellite owned by ASEAN countries and Japan. Indonesia already has a network of lightning detection devices that use Very Low Frequencies (VLF) but not too dense. This research will lead to a new methodology in hydro meteorological disaster mitigation, and strengthen and complement already operational extreme weather early warning systems.