Towards automated meteor detection from space with MTG-LI

The Meteosat Third Generation Lightning Imager (MTG-LI) has been operational since late 2024, providing continuous optical measurements optimized for lightning detection over Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic region. Beyond its nominal objective, MTG-LI has also demonstrated sensitivity to the optical flashes produced by bright meteors (fireballs).

This study aims to systematically distinguish meteor-induced flashes from lightning and to extract fireball characteristics, including their brightness evolution and projected trajectories. These capabilities are being integrated into a data pipeline with the final objective of delivering a comprehensive operational ESA/EUMETSAT fireball portal.

In ongoing collaboration with NASA, MTG-LI complements the fireball monitoring capabilities of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) by extending coverage to the Eastern Hemisphere, enabling near-global geostationary observation of fireball activity. This emerging application for lightning imagers onboard weather satellites provides valuable data for meteor science and planetary defence while also synergising with existing ground-based meteor networks to enhance event characterization and coverage.