Development of a holistic physical model for lightning is a grand challenge that relies on linking meteorological, chemical, plasma, optical, and radio process models together into a system that can handle physics on scales from millimeters to hundreds of kilometers.
The purpose of this hybrid workshop is to gather community input to develop a roadmap in 2024 that will document the state of the science, enumerate deficiencies and paths forward for improving current models, and define a strategy for linking together modular model components into an end-to-end system.
The roadmap will inform an initial implementation of an integrated modelling system in 3-5 years and set a course for improvements. The model and its sub-components will be open, developed in public for the community — analagous to the successful WRF model for weather forecasting.
Following introductory invited talks, extended time will be set aside for topical breakout work sessions in smaller groups. We will conclude on the final morning with reports from each breakout and consolidation of outcomes. Following the workshop, the organizing panel will synthesize these reports into a final roadmap.
Unlike a conference with a significant educational purpose, this is a focused meeting aimed at experts who can contribute immediately to the roadmap. We encourage you to share the outcome of this workshop with students working with you, and they are welcome to listen online. Follow-on Town Hall sessions will be conducted at the AGU and AMS Annual Meetings in late 2024-early 2025.
Because of the focus on breakout discussions, you will not need to make a formal presentation at this meeting. When you register you can suggest a topical overview not already covered by the schedule. The panel will select a few of these for additional short, invited talks.
The final schedule is available. The meeting begins at 12:30 pm on Monday. Zoom instructions for online participants have been sent to registered attendees by email.
The meeting will be held at the Marriott Uptown on Louisiana Blvd. in Albuquerque, NM.
Federal employees should request the government rate to preserve the room block for those who have no other option. For non-federal persons, a limited number of rooms are available at a similar meeting rate. If you call the hotel, we are known as the "Light Modeling Workshop."
Sandia badging is not required.
The atmosphere delivered lightning near the venue on Monday afternoon. Thanks to College of DuPage for the real-time loop.
The NMT/Langmuir Lab LMA also detected this lightning activity, including one flash that was very close to the meeting venue! Thanks to Richard Sonnenfeld and Paul Krehbiel for the image.
