Volcanic Lightning Flash Count Proxy Tool
Observed flash/time proxy corrected with independently calibrated detection fraction, not ash mass-rate inference, volcano causality or hazard forecast. Caller independently establishes units, regime, calibration and applicability; this does not establish design-code compliance, authenticity, operational safety, treatment efficacy or a validated forecast.
Description
Volcanic lightning observations depend on how long a detector watched and what fraction of flashes it could detect.
Volcanic lightning observations depend on how long a detector watched and what fraction of flashes it could detect.1
Correcting matched counts for detection coverage produces an observed flash rate, rather than an ash production estimate.
When to use Volcanic Lightning Flash Count Proxy Tool
Use this tool when you need to reproduce the stated calculation from measured records or independently selected model inputs. Prepare matched observations and independently established site, specimen, units, datum, and calibration context.
How to use Volcanic Lightning Flash Count Proxy Tool and understand its results
- Prepare matched observations and independently established site, specimen, units, datum, and calibration context.
- Enter observedLightningFlashCounts, observedMatchedDetectionSeconds, callerIndependentlyVerifiedFlashDetectionFractions, following the field table and rules below, then run the tool.
- Read detectionAdjustedObservedFlashRateSecond. Use the output meanings below to interpret units, signs, flags, and any nested result fields.
- Correct reported input issues and run again. For a successful result, check the stated evidence coverage and assumptions before using it in your review.
| Input field | Meaning | Value type | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| observedLightningFlashCounts | Observed lightning flash counts | list of number | Required |
| observedMatchedDetectionSeconds | Observed matched detection seconds | list of number | Required |
| callerIndependentlyVerifiedFlashDetectionFractions | Caller independently verified flash detection fractions | list of number | Required |
Use aligned nonempty lists of nonnegative integer flash counts, positive observation durations in seconds, and independently calibrated detection fractions greater than zero and at most one. Correct each count by its own detection fraction, sum the corrected counts, and divide by total observed time.
rate = Σ(count_i / detectionFraction_i) / Σ(seconds_i) Symbols follow the input and output meanings and the calculation rules above.
| Output field | Meaning | Value type |
|---|---|---|
| detectionAdjustedObservedFlashRateSecond | Detection adjusted observed flash rate second | number |
{
"input": {
"observedLightningFlashCounts": [
10,
20
],
"observedMatchedDetectionSeconds": [
5,
10
],
"callerIndependentlyVerifiedFlashDetectionFractions": [
0.5,
1
]
},
"output": {
"detectionAdjustedObservedFlashRateSecond": 2.6666666666666665
}
}Limitations and assumptions
Interpretation requires independently matched observations, units, site or specimen, and calibration. The calculation does not establish geological identity, operating safety, or an eruption forecast.
Missing required fields, unknown fields, wrong types, and violated calculation rules are input issues. Numeric values must be finite; nonfinite results are rejected. Evidence arrays must be dense, with no missing cells. Numeric observation lists allow at most 10,000 entries, subject to any smaller bounds stated above.
Alternative or Complementary methods
For a related review, use Historical Eruption Frequency Per Century Calculator: Historical eruption frequency needs both counted events and an observation period judged sufficiently complete. Pooling only qualified windows prevents incomplete catalog coverage from silently becoming a recurrence estimate. For a complementary step, use Dormancy Reactivation Risk Score Calculator: An unrest score is a weighted summary of evidence under a chosen scoring policy. Missing evidence has its own weight, so the known-evidence score and coverage should be read together.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Historical Eruption Frequency Per Century Calculator
Historical eruption frequency needs both counted events and an observation period judged sufficiently complete. Pooling only qualified windows prevents incomplete catalog coverage from silently becoming a recurrence estimate.
- Dormancy Reactivation Risk Score Calculator
An unrest score is a weighted summary of evidence under a chosen scoring policy. Missing evidence has its own weight, so the known-evidence score and coverage should be read together.