Design and Analysis of the Influence of Station Number, Distance, and Configuration on the Location Error of the 3-Dimensional Lightning Mapping System

Indonesia, located in the tropics, experiences lightning with high peak currents. A lightning detection system is crucial for mitigating the effects of lightning and serves to study atmospheric activities. However, the lightning mapping system, an essential part of the detection system, faces challenges in terms of accuracy and computational speed. This article proposes a three-dimensional lightning mapping model using the Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) method, achieving a location error of less than 100 meters and a computation time of less than 1 millisecond. By simulating this model with various numbers, distances, and configurations of stations, the error distribution of the lightning mapping system is analysed. Systems with a star configuration exhibit low error distribution around points surrounded by stations, with increasing errors towards the outermost points far from the stations. Conversely, the circular configuration displays similar characteristics to the star configuration, but excessively large distances in the circular setup can decrease accuracy at the center of the area. Increasing the distance between stations enhances the system's accuracy both vertically and horizontally. Additionally, adding more stations does not necessarily improve system performance. The strategic placement of additional stations, considering distance and configuration, is crucial to enhancing the accuracy of the lightning mapping system.