Analytical and Statistical Tools for Studies of Lightning-Radiated Fields

Lightning stroke location systems based on magnetic direction finding can provide measurements o f peak radiated field. Several tools used to study this peak radiated field data are described. These tools include (1) methods fo r using redundant bearing and am plitude data to reduce various erro rs; (2) methods for obtaining unbiased estim ates o f stroke am plitude and its variance; (3) methods for inferring the correct family of statistical distribution for the peak radiated field data. A com­ parison is made o f data from N orthern O ntario w ith similar data from Florida, Oklahoma and the E astern U.S.A.