System and method for detecting high-risk lightning strikes for use in predicting and identifying wildfire ignition locations and powerline damages

An antenna assembly, comprising:

• a circular shaped first antenna constructed from a conductive material, the first antenna having a first outer diameter, wherein the first antenna having a substantially flat top surface;
• a circular shaped second antenna constructed from a conductive material, said second antenna having a centrally located opening, the opening having a diameter which is larger in size than the first outer diameter of the first antenna, the second antenna having a second outer diameter, the second antenna having a substantially flat top surface;
• a circular shaped shield plate constructed from a conductive material, the shielding plate having a first bottom surface and a first circular wall extending upward along a perimeter of the first bottom surface to define a receiving area, the receiving having a diameter;
• and
• a circular shaped insulator constructed from a nonconductive material, the insulator having a second bottom surface and a second circular wall extending upward along a perimeter of the second bottom surface, the insulator having an inner circular wall extending upward from the second bottom surface to define a first circular receiving section and a second circular receiving section, the first circular receiving section electrically isolated from the second circular receiving section by the nonconductive inner wall;
• wherein the circular shaped first antenna is disposed within the first circular receiving section and the circular shaped second antenna is disposed within the second circular receiving section and the circular shaped insulator with the first antenna and the second antenna are disposed within the receiving area of the shielding plate;
• wherein the first antenna is electrically isolated from the second antenna and the first antenna and the second antenna are electrically isolated from the shielding plate by the insulator;
• wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are in a substantially concentric relationship with each other when the first antenna is disposed within the first circular receiving section of the insulator and the second antenna is disposed within the second circular receiving section of the insulator.

A detector assembly in communication with a system for determining whether a High-Risk-Lightning (HRL) strike has occurred, comprising:

• a self-contained detector, comprising:
• an antenna configuration having a high frequency antenna and a low frequency antenna;
• a system for receiving and conditioning emission signals picked up by the high-frequency antenna and the low-frequency antenna from a lightning strike;
• a data acquisition unit for receiving conditioned signals from the system and forwarding data obtained from the conditioned signals to a remote server or computer system for use by the remote server or computer system in determining whether an HRL event has occurred;
• and
• a detector housing, wherein the antenna configuration, the system and the data acquisition unit are all housed within the detector housing.

A method for determining a probability of damage to a powerline or power generation system from a given lightning strike, comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving detailed characteristics for the powerline or power generation system by a computer system;
• (b) receiving a detailed lightning strike classification for the given lightning strike by the computer system;
• and
• (c) determining the probability of damage to the powerline or power generation system using the received detailed characteristics for the powerline or power generation system and the detailed lightning strike classification.

A method for determining a probability of damage to a powerline or power generation system from a given lightning strike, comprising the steps of:

• (a) detecting signals, by an electronic detection device, from an electric field created from a lightning strike at a geographical location associated with the powerline or power generation system;
• (b) receiving detailed characteristics for the powerline or power generation system by a computer system;
• (c) receiving a detailed lightning strike classification for the given lightning strike by the computer system;
• and
• (d) determining the probability of damage to the powerline or power generation system using the received detailed characteristics for the powerline or power generation system and the detailed lightning strike classification.