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Group Data and Detection Efficiency Analysis for the Modular Multispectral Imaging Array and the Lightning Imaging Sensor.

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Title: Group Data and Detection Efficiency Analysis for the Modular Multispectral Imaging Array and the Lightning Imaging Sensor.
Authors: Bitzer, Phillip M.1 (AUTHOR) bitzerp@uah.edu, Lang, Timothy J.2 (AUTHOR), Quick, Mason G.2 (AUTHOR), Gatlin, Patrick2 (AUTHOR), Chanrion, Olivier3 (AUTHOR), Østgaard, Nikolai4 (AUTHOR), Vázquez, Francisco Gordillo5 (AUTHOR), Neubert, Torsten3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres. 3/28/2026, Vol. 131 Issue 6, p1-13. 13p.
Subject Terms: Multispectral imaging, Signal detection, Wavelengths
Company/Entity: International Space Station
Abstract: The Modular Multispectral Imaging Array (MMIA), part of the Atmosphere‐Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM), provides high spatial and temporal resolution measurements of the optical emission from lightning and transient luminous events in three bands. Lightning is known to radiate in two of these bands: 337 and 777 nm. To help facilitate analysis of emission characteristics, an algorithm to produce group‐level products from MMIA data using both spectral bands is developed. The groups are formed by identifying clusters of pixels in a single video frame that exceed a particular threshold, similar to what is done with other space‐based lightning instrument data. The groups are analyzed along side data from the International Space Station Lightning Imaging Sensor (ISS LIS). When MMIA detects a group with 337 nm emission, ISS LIS also detects it 80.6% of the time; 89.6% of MMIA groups with 777 nm emission are also detected by ISS LIS. Overall, the detection efficiency of ISS LIS increases for groups with larger area and groups that are brighter. Conversely, 96% of ISS LIS groups occur with MMIA groups with both 337 and 777 nm emission. The 337 nm MMIA groups span larger areas than the 777 nm groups that occur simultaneously, and the MMIA 777 nm groups tend to be smaller than the ISS LIS groups. Finally, two examples of how the grouping algorithm can be used to study the physics of lightning are presented. Plain Language Summary: This study examines the light exiting the cloud‐top produced by lightning as observed by two different lightning imaging systems hosted on the International Space Station (ISS), and its findings have important implications for design of future spaceborne lightning mappers. One instrument offers relatively high spatial resolution images of lightning emission in blue and red wavelengths, whereas the other has a long‐heritage in mapping global lightning activity by relying on the red signal from lightning. We confirm that larger and brighter lightning groups are easier to detect. The area of red emissions observed with the higher spatial resolution imager is smaller than those coincident detections from the faster temporal resolution heritage lightning mapper. The blue emissions from lightning are common when red emissions are detected, but the area of those blue emissions is larger. Nearly 10% of lightning with blue emissions have no corresponding red emissions detected with either instrument. Key Points: A novel approach is used to create groups from high‐resolution MMIA imagery, for comparison with ISS LISThere are 9% more lightning groups with 337 nm emission than 777 nm emissionEmission from 777 is brighter than the 337 emission for lightning groups, while the detected 337 emission has larger area [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: GreenFILE
Description
Abstract:The Modular Multispectral Imaging Array (MMIA), part of the Atmosphere‐Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM), provides high spatial and temporal resolution measurements of the optical emission from lightning and transient luminous events in three bands. Lightning is known to radiate in two of these bands: 337 and 777 nm. To help facilitate analysis of emission characteristics, an algorithm to produce group‐level products from MMIA data using both spectral bands is developed. The groups are formed by identifying clusters of pixels in a single video frame that exceed a particular threshold, similar to what is done with other space‐based lightning instrument data. The groups are analyzed along side data from the International Space Station Lightning Imaging Sensor (ISS LIS). When MMIA detects a group with 337 nm emission, ISS LIS also detects it 80.6% of the time; 89.6% of MMIA groups with 777 nm emission are also detected by ISS LIS. Overall, the detection efficiency of ISS LIS increases for groups with larger area and groups that are brighter. Conversely, 96% of ISS LIS groups occur with MMIA groups with both 337 and 777 nm emission. The 337 nm MMIA groups span larger areas than the 777 nm groups that occur simultaneously, and the MMIA 777 nm groups tend to be smaller than the ISS LIS groups. Finally, two examples of how the grouping algorithm can be used to study the physics of lightning are presented. Plain Language Summary: This study examines the light exiting the cloud‐top produced by lightning as observed by two different lightning imaging systems hosted on the International Space Station (ISS), and its findings have important implications for design of future spaceborne lightning mappers. One instrument offers relatively high spatial resolution images of lightning emission in blue and red wavelengths, whereas the other has a long‐heritage in mapping global lightning activity by relying on the red signal from lightning. We confirm that larger and brighter lightning groups are easier to detect. The area of red emissions observed with the higher spatial resolution imager is smaller than those coincident detections from the faster temporal resolution heritage lightning mapper. The blue emissions from lightning are common when red emissions are detected, but the area of those blue emissions is larger. Nearly 10% of lightning with blue emissions have no corresponding red emissions detected with either instrument. Key Points: A novel approach is used to create groups from high‐resolution MMIA imagery, for comparison with ISS LISThere are 9% more lightning groups with 337 nm emission than 777 nm emissionEmission from 777 is brighter than the 337 emission for lightning groups, while the detected 337 emission has larger area [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:2169897X
DOI:10.1029/2025JD045209