LAMPINET-Lightning detection in Italy

Abstract

In 2004 the Italian Air Force Meteorological Service has set up a modern lightning detection network, LAMPINET, in order to monitor comprehensively atmospheric discharges. The requirements arose from the fact that lightning still represents a severe threat for both military and commercial aircraft; despite continuous improvement of aircraft materials, assembling techniques, navigation technology and computer controlled procedures during flights, a rendezvous between aircraft and lightning, even though a very rare event, could be potentially fatal. Topics of this contribution are lightning-aircraft interaction in order to illustrate why the Meteorological Service of Italian Air Force has taken actions, the description of the Italian lightning detection network LAMPINET, and lightning statistics over Italy based on data from the first three years of LAMPINET operation. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.