ANDOVER, MA, August 31, 2009 - WSI Corporation (Weather Services International), the global leader in weather information, and the Centre of Excellence on Lightning Protection (CELP) at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) have collaborated to provide detailed lightning detection data for Southeast Asia.Through the efforts of the Centre, both UPM in Malaysia and Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh are hosting lightning detection sensors for WSI’s recently announced Global Lightning Network® (GLN®). The Global Lightning Network provides high quality real-time lightning stroke data throughout the world.
The alliance with CELP and these two Universities continues to expand WSI’s global presence in disruptive weather. Data from the Global Lightning Network has the timeliness, coverage, and delivery to support critical end-user operational requirements in key areas, without compromising quality, accuracy, and efficiency.
Real-time data from the network is provided seamlessly via the Internet in less than a minute of event detection. Providing accurate and timely lightning data for areas such as Southeast Asia is of particular importance due to the significant economic and safety consequences of severe weather.
Kim Rauenzahn, WSI’s Lightning Product Manager, noted “WSI is pleased to have Universiti Putra Malaysia and Jahangirnagar University as lightning sensor hosting partners. These locations are very significant to augment lightning detections in Southeast Asia, an area where disruptive weather events put people and property at risk. The additional information from the Global Lightning Network can be vital to improving the outcome of these events. Dr. Mohd Zainal Abidin Ab Kadir, chairman of the Centre of Excellence on Lightning Protection, is a world-renowned expert in lightning safety and protection, and we are honored to have the opportunity to work with him”.
Dr. Kadir of UPM’s Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering remarked, “The establishment of the Centre is a great effort in promoting research, applications, and education on lightning to the public. There are many renowned lightning scholars lined up as the CELP’s Advisory Members and I believe this is significant evidence in showing the seriousness of the Centre to become a leading institution in lightning research. Malaysia and Bangladesh are among the countries with the highest lightning densities in the world and through this collaboration, I believe this will help in improving the research and knowledge dissemination to the public. It is a tremendous effort from WSI, UPM/CELP, and Jahangirnagar University”.
For more information, contact Kim Rauenzahn at (978) 983-6648 or krauenzahn@wsi.com, or visit: www.wsi.com.
About WSI Corporation
For over 30 years, WSI Corporation has focused on predicting, detecting, and visualizing disruptive weather. The US Government and top aviation, media, energy, and risk management companies trust WSI to supply them with easy-to-use, timely and expert weather information to help them take action to minimize the impact of such weather on their operations and the public.
WSI is a member of The Weather Channel Companies and is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, with offices in Birmingham, England. The Weather Channel Companies are owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the private equity firms, The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital.
More information about WSI can be found at www.wsi.com.
About Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and CELP
The inspirational motto, 'With Knowledge We Serve', reflects the full commitment of the UPM to contribute towards the discovery of knowledge and the exploration of human endeavor as well as the creation of wealth and nation building. More information about UPM can be found at www.upm.edu.my.
Centre of Excellence on Lightning Protection (CELP) is one of the few institutions in the world that is dedicated purely to the research and promotion of the scientifically proven engineering and physics of lightning safety and protection.
With the vast support and effort from well-known scholars and scientists who have come forth as Advisory Committee Members, it is a great opportunity for the CELP to blossom as a leading institution in the world, promoting the scientifically proven methodologies and techniques in Research, Education and Application of Lightning.
Contributed by Dr. Mohd Zainal Abidin Ab Kadir, Faculty of Engineering, UPM.
(sumber : www.upm.edu.my)
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