Earth ID: 4429

Massive Lightning Storm Lights up Northern Alabama

Visualizations by Alex Kekesi Released on November 22, 2016

Animation showing a massive lightning storm form over Northern Alabama on September 2, 2012. Although the data shown here is based on real observations, the cloud cover data was only available for a very limited window of time as an experiment using the GOES-14 satellite. The cloud data comes from ground-based sensors. This animation is a proof-of-concept showing the kind of data that will be gathered by GOES-R on a regular basis.

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites - R Series (GOES-R) is the next generation of geostationary Earth-observing systems. The GOES-R program is a collaborative development and acquisition effort between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA. The advanced spacecraft and instrument technology employed by the GOES-R series will provide significant improvements in the detection and observations of environmental phenomena that directly affect public safety, protection of property, and our nation's economic health and prosperity. The first satellite in the GOES-R series successfully launched on November 19, 2016. For more information on the GOES-R program please visit: goes-r.gov

Visualization Credits

Lead Visualizer:
Alex Kekesi (Global Science and Technology, Inc.)

Visualizer:
Cheng Zhang (USRA)

Data Visualizer:
Horace Mitchell (NASA/GSFC)

Lead Scientist:
Scott Rudlosky (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR)

Data Providers:
Chris Kidd (University of Maryland)
Dennis Chesters (NASA/GSFC)

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio & NOAA

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4429

Mission:
GOES-R

Data Used:

North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array also referred to as: NALMA

Observed Data - NASA, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and Georgia Institute of Technology

view all stories where this data set is used

Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

Keywords:
DLESE >> Atmospheric science
DLESE >> Natural hazards
GCMD >> Earth Science
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Atmosphere >> Clouds
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Atmosphere >> Atmospheric Electricity >> Lightning
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Atmosphere >> Atmospheric Phenomena >> Lightning
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Atmosphere >> Atmospheric Phenomena >> Storms
SVS >> Hyperwall
NASA Science >> Earth

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0