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CNOFS VEFI 500-msec Optical Lightning Data

Published by CDAWeb | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Catalog Last Checked: September 09, 2026 at 12:20 AM | Dataset Last Updated: September 08, 2026
This data set contains the low rate data from the C/NOFS Vector Electric Field Instrument (VEFI) lightning detector during nighttime passes of the satellite along its low inclination (13 degree) orbit and within the altitude domain defined by the satellite's perigee and apogee of 401 km and 867 km, respectively. Two photodiodes measure white light irradiance at 2 Hz in 7 threshold values and in 2 look directions (north and south). Data are at 0.5-sec resolution. The lightning detector data may be used to identify a possible relationship between the occurrence of lightning and the occurrence of Spread-F caused, deep density dropouts in the ionosphere. Reference: Jacobson et al, J Atm Ocean Tech, 2011, doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-11-00047.1

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Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel public
bureauCode 
[
  "026:00"
]
contactPoint 
{
  "fn": "NASA Space Physics Data Facility",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:NASA-SPDF-Support@nasa.onmicrosoft.com"
}
description This data set contains the low rate data from the C/NOFS Vector Electric Field Instrument (VEFI) lightning detector during nighttime passes of the satellite along its low inclination (13 degree) orbit and within the altitude domain defined by the satellite's perigee and apogee of 401 km and 867 km, respectively. Two photodiodes measure white light irradiance at 2 Hz in 7 threshold values and in 2 look directions (north and south). Data are at 0.5-sec resolution. The lightning detector data may be used to identify a possible relationship between the occurrence of lightning and the occurrence of Spread-F caused, deep density dropouts in the ionosphere. Reference: Jacobson et al, J Atm Ocean Tech, 2011, doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-11-00047.1
distribution 
[
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    "downloadURL": "ftps://spdf.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/data/cnofs/vefi/ld_500msec/"
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]
identifier https://doi.org/10.48322/pv2n-aj92
keyword 
[
  "electricfield"
]
landingPage https://doi.org/10.48322/pv2n-aj92
license https://www.usa.gov/government-works
modified 2026-09-08
programCode 
[
  "026:000"
]
publisher 
{
  "name": "CDAWeb",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
theme 
[
  "Heliophysics"
]
title CNOFS VEFI 500-msec Optical Lightning Data

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