Development of Slowly-varying Electric Field Sensor in Legoland Malaysia Resort

Data Transmission Network and Dataline (DTN), is a private company specializing in subscription-based services for the analysis and delivery of real-time weather. This service is used by LEGOLAND to keep up with weather information and lightning development. With the DTN system’s unknown location, distance, and reliance on email for data transmission, gaining control over information flow and ensuring prompt delivery to end users becomes a major hurdle and delay. Besides, the DTN caused LEGOLAND high costs in purchasing DTN services, despite all the drawbacks. The fast and slow-varying electric fields buffer circuits have been established as sensors for characterizing various lightning types, capable of detecting both near and far lightning. Special attention is directed towards the development of the slow electric field buffer circuit, designed to serve as a lightning warning system for detecting nearby lightning in crowded areas, such as the waterpark within LEGOLAND Resort in South Malaysia. This study focuses on analyzing the slow atmospheric electric field and perform waveform analysis for determining the estimated distance and radius of lightning events at LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort. The newly installed lightning detection system at LEGOLAND features a straightforward and cost-effective setup, incorporating a capacitive antenna, slow and fast atmospheric electric field sensors, and dedicated data analysis software. Its effectiveness and precision will be thoroughly compared with LEGOLAND’s existing online service.