Lightning Detection System Efficiency from Lightning Strike Density Analysis for Light Rail Transit

Palembang is one of tropical area with high lightning density as it is located on wind reversal area. The position of Palembang Light Rail Transit rolling stock is higher than surrounding object, thus it is an easy target for lightning strike. External lightning protection systems, with lightning event counter, for Palembang Light Rail Transit only protect stations and important objects in viaduct such as signal and telecommunication poles, and most of the track are not covered. The objective of this paper is to find lightning detection system efficiency from ground and space as well as its correlation with lightning event counter data on existing external protection system. Lightning detection system data from ground and space in Palembang have positive correlation, even though flash rate density map from space have lower resolution than the other one. Data from lightning event counter also have positive correlation with lightning detection system data from space. Even though they all have positive correlation, it turns out that lightning strike density from lightning event counters are 5 times higher than the space one. So, we can conclude that lightning detection system from ground absolutely have higher sensitivity and resolution than the space one. For initial or general monitoring reasons, lightning detection system from space might be enough to provide yearly, monthly, or diurnal lightning activity data in certain area. With all these correlations, it is clear that we can use lightning detection system data from ground and space to improve safety of Palembang Light Rail Transit.