Wednesday, October 15, 2025 - 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Morse Hall, rm 301 -OR- Teams online
Speaker:
Ningyu Liu, Professor at Space Science Center (EOS) –
University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
Abstract:
Lightning is one of nature’s most powerful yet least understood electrical phenomena. In recent years, broadband radio interferometers have opened new windows into how lightning develops and propagates through clouds. The Radio Interferometer for Thunderstorm Studies (RIFTS) represents a new generation of lightning observation systems designed to capture radio emissions with unprecedented detail, supporting sampling rates of billions of samples per second per channel and a larger number of synchronized antennas.
In this seminar, I will introduce the basic principles of lightning radio interferometry—how we “listen” to lightning to map its behavior—and describe the design, implementation, and field deployment of RIFTS. I will also present some of the first imaging results from RIFTS, highlighting how its ultrawide bandwidth is crucial for investigating extremely impulsive lightning events.
Free snacks and refreshments will be provided in Morse Hall beginning at 3:20 pm.
Schedule:
Check out the rest of this season's Space Science Seminar Series, as well as previous recordings here.
