LIGHTNING ATTRACTIVENESS INDEX FOR URBAN AREAS BASED ON DIGITAL SURFACE MODEL

Lightning is a stochastic phenomenon and is responsible for several fatalities every year around the world. As an attempt to reduce its effects, different risk indices have been produced over the years and different strategies are used for people safety and property protection. This work presents a lightning attractiveness index based on a digital surface model (DSM) obtained using Google Earth 3D imagery and Structure from Motion (SfM) technology. A weighted kernel was then applied to the DSM using Google Earth Engine infrastructure. The results seem to consistently emphasize areas with higher and lower attractiveness and therefore, higher and lower risk. The index is expected to help in the development of improved lightning hazard models applied to urban areas.