Introduction to lightning detection

Lightning discharges are composed of numerous different physical processes.The spectrum of these lightning discharge processes ranges from quasi-static electromagnetic fields ~1-4 Hz to micro-waves and from optical wavelengths up to gamma rays with energies ~40-100 MeV.This multi-scale nature of lightning discharges is impossible to measure in its entirety with nowadays technology.As a result, a specific physical process of the lightning discharge needs to be chosen for a given application.This choice determines the spectral range and the corresponding measurement technology for lightning detection.The most recent developments in lightning detection are discussed and promising areas of future research with a potential for novel discoveries are proposed.