Lightning characteristics based on data from the Austrian lightning locating system

In this paper, me compare various lightning characteristics measured by the Austrian lightning locating system [Austrian Lightning Detection and Infor mation System (ALDIS)] with those found in the literature. The latter are t ypically based on measurements of lightning electric fields, we show that l ightning peak electric fields due to subsequent strokes measured by the ALD IS are similar to those in the literature. However, the ALDIS data do not s how the usual ratio of about 2:1 between the median values of the held peak s for first and subsequent strokes. Although the flash detection efficiency of the ALDIS system in the area of investigation is estimated to be higher than 90%, one of the best for such sl stems all over the world, the observ ed percentage of single-stroke flashes and the average number of strokes pe r hash seem to suggest that the stroke detection efficiency is appreciably less than 90%. The ALDIS data indicate that larger strokes are preceded by longer interstroke intervals. The mean flash duration of 175 ms measured by ALDIS is similar to the typical flash duration found in the literature. St rokes with larger field peaks tend to hare higher average field rates of ri se. Since many lightning parameters show a large scatter for different thun derstorm days, long-term data from lightning locating systems are more repr esentative of average lightning compared to data derived from electric fiel d measurements typically performed during a few thunderstorms.