GLD360 provides high-quality lightning data anywhere in the world.
This inaugural award recognizes Dr. Said’s work on mastering hardware and software solutions in the development and implementation of Vaisala’s global lightning detection network, which generates the commercial Global Lightning Dataset GLD360. The network provides real-time lightning data for accurate and early detection and tracking of severe weather. The Award for Young Engineers is presented to talented engineers under the age of 35 and honors them for their outstanding work in the field of hydrometeorological and other environmental systems and for their design and development of services in HMEI member companies.
Dr. Said earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University in Electrical Engineering. Prior to joining Vaisala, he was awarded a patent for a new technique to detect and locate lightning with high accuracy on a global scale using a relatively sparse array of terrestrial receivers. This patent, “Long-range lightning detection and characterization system and method” (US 8073622 B2), which was published on December 6, 2011, is licensed by Vaisala and represents the core technological breakthrough in the GLD360. In addition to the patent filing, Dr. Said has published two papers related to this work. The first, “Long-range lightning geolocation using a VLF radio atmospheric waveform bank,” (J. Geophys. Res., 2010), details the methodology behind the new lightning detection technology. The second, “Highly intense lightning over the oceans: Estimated peak currents from global GLD360 observations,” (J. Geophys. Res., 2013), leverages the unique capability of this network to estimate peak currents on a global scale to present the first estimate of the spatial distribution of global peak current averages.
In addition to creating the necessary intellectual property, Dr. Said was the primary developer for the GLD360 core software working as both a scientist and software engineer. Through his development and subsequent implementation of this global lightning detection network, Dr. Said has made a tremendous contribution to the field of hydrometeorology, and indeed all other fields that relate in some way to convective weather systems.
“This is an impressive accomplishment and a well-deserved accolade,” said Brooke Pearson, Vaisala meteorology product area manager for lightning. I would like to take this opportunity to also recognize the contribution of all those at Vaisala who have been involved in the global implementation of this technology.”
Also read: 2014 Influencer Lucille Olszewski
Vaisala
www.vaisala.com
HMEI
www.hmei.org
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