Lightning characteristics on Java Island, observed by lightning location network

To investigate characteristics of lightning in the tropics, an observation using a lightning detection network has been carried out on the Java Island (Indonesia) since February 1994, employing the combination of MDF and TOA techniques with four stations. Analysis on the collected data revealed high lightning flash density around the Java Island, especially during the rainy season. The highest annual flash density on the Java Island was 16 flashes per km² per year. Lightning activity around Java exhibits a diurnal variation, where the activity mostly takes place on the island in the afternoon. A smaller peak of activity, especially in the rainy season, takes place in the early morning offshore. The median of the lightning current amplitudes in this area is around 26 kA, close to the result of direct measurement. The analysis also shows that discharges on the sea bring larger currents than those on the land. Storms on the land tend to deliver more number of strokes with higher maximum flash rates in smaller coverage areas than those occur on the sea