Richard Orville

Research Professor Emeritus

Research

Dr. Orville, in cooperation with other faculty, (Drs. Nielsen-Gammon, Schumacher and Zhang) has developed a comprehensive program on the meteorological characteristics of lightning associated with lightning discharges to ground. This instrumentation base consists of the WSR-88D installations in Texas, access to the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN), which Orville established in the 1980’s, and a recent installation of a total Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) around Houston. He has over 150 reviewed publications identified in ResearcherID.

NLDN and the LMA
My research focuses on a wide range of topics using the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) with a database of CG lightning from June 1983 to the present. The Houston Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) is a recent addition to our research projects and detects all lightning emissions, both CG and IC emissions, within 200 km of Houston. The effects of lightning on the environment are a key focus of our research.
Lightning Spectroscopy
We have discovered and mapped the emissions from lightning in the 400-900 nm wavelength range. In particular, NASA satellites map lightning on planet Earth, 24 hours per day, following our discovery of the strong emissions from the first multiplet of oxygen (OI) atoms at 777.4 nm.
High-speed lightning photography and spectroscopy
Lightning imagery is a tool developed over the last few decades to reveal the details of spectral emissions in the 400-900 nanometer wavelength range. Time-resolved streaking imagery on a microsecond time scale has revealed the stroke temperature, electron density, pressure, and singly ionized and neutral species concentrations as a function of time.

Dr. Orville is active in national atmospheric science programs having served 4 years on the Council of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) as atmospheric sciences section president and president-elect, 12 years on the Council of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) as Commissioner of Education and Commissioner of Publications, and 6 years as a member of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Board, serving the last year as UCAR vice-president. He is a Fellow of the AMS and the AGU.

Selected Publications

ResearcherID: 146 reviewed publications

Citation Metrics: h-index 35 (2015)

Reviewed Publications (Most recent appear first.)

1) Cai, L., J. Wang, R. E. Orville, W. Dong, Q. Li, Y.Fan, T. Zhang, and R. Luo, “The VLF/LF Foshan total lightning location system in China, (2016), J. Geophys. Res. (Submitted)

2) Saba, M. F., C. Schumann, T. A. Warner, M. A. Ferro, A. R. De Paiva, J. Helsdon, R. E. Orville, (2016), “Upward flashes characteristics from high-speed videos,” J. Geophys. Res. Atmos. 121, doi:10.1002/2016JD025137.

3) Saba, M. F., C. Schumann, T. A. Warner, M. A. Ferro, A. R. De Paiva, J. Helsdon, R. E. Orville, (2016), “Upward flashes characteristics from high-speed videos,” J. Geophys. Res. (Submitted)

4) Warner, T. A., C. Schumann, M. M. F. Saba, A. Ballweber, R. Lueck, J. H. Helsdon, J. Tilles, R. Thomas, and R. E. Orville, “Upward lightning triggering study (UPLIGHTS) observation summary and initial findings,” (2016), J. Geophys. Res., (Submitted)

5) Stolzenburg, M., T. C. Marshall, S. Karunarathne, and R. E. Orville, (2016) “Luminosity with intracloud-type lightning initial breakdown pulses and terrestrial gamma-ray flash candidates,” J. Geophys. Res., (Accepted)

6) Stolzenburg, M., T.C. Marshall, S. Karunarathne, N. Karunarathna, R.E. Orville,

(2016), Transient luminosity along negative stepped leaders in lightning,

J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 120, 3408-3435, doi: 10.1002/2014JD022933.

7) Luz, Ellen S. A. M., O. Pinto, K. Naccarato, A. C. V. Saraiva, M. A. Bravo, and R.E. Orville, (2015), “Temperature and electron density in the lightning channel during the continuing current of a negative downward lightning,” SIPDA

8) Stolzenburg, M., T. C. Marshall, S. Karunarathne, N. Karunarathna and R. E. Orville, “An M-component with a concurrent dart leader traveling along different paths during a lightning flash,” J. Geophys. Res. (2015)

9) Karunarathe, S., T. C. Marshall, M. Stolzenburg, N. Karunarathna and R. E. Orville, (2015), “Modeling stepped leaders using a time dependent multi-dipole model and high-speed video data,” J. Geophys. Res., 120, 2419-2436,doi: 10.1002/2014JD022679. 23 March 2015

10) Saba, M., C. Schumann, T. Warner, J. Helsdon Jr., and R. Orville, (2015), “High-speed video and electric field observation of a negative upward leader connecting a downward positive leader in a positive cloud-to-ground flash,” Elsevier, J. Electric Power Systems Research, Volume: 118 Pages: 89-92 Published: Jan 2015 doi: 10.1016/j.epsr.2014.06.002

11) Stolzenburg, M., T. C. Marshall, S. Karunarathne, N. Karunarathna and R. E. Orville, Leader observations during the initial breakdown stage of a lightning flash, Submitted to J. Geophys. Res. (2015) (In Press)

12) Stolzenburg, M., T. C. Marshall, S. Karunarathne, N. Karunarathna, and R. E. Orville, (2015), “Branched dart leaders preceding lightning return strokes,” J. Geophys. Res. (In Press)

13) Mazur, V., L.H. Ruhnke, T.A. Warner, R.E. Orville, (2013) Recoil leader formation and development, J. Electrostatics, 71, 763-768, 2013

14) Stolzenburg, M., T. C. Marshall, S. Karunarathne, N. Karunarathna, L. E. Vickers, T. A. Warner, R. E. Orville and H.-D. Betz (2013), Luminosity of initial breakdown in lightning, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50276.

15) Saba, M. M. F., C. Schumann, T. A. Warner, J. H. Helsdon Jr., W. Schulz, and R. E. Orville (2013), Bipolar cloud-to-ground lightning flash observations, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50804.

16) Warner, T. A., J. H. Helsdon, M. J. Bunkers, M. M. F. Saba, and R.E. Orville, 2013: “UPLIGHTS: Upward Lightning Triggering Study,” Bulletin of the Amer. Meteor. Soc., 94, No. 5, 631-635.

17) Stolzenburg, M., T. C. Marshall, S. Karunarathne, N. Karunarathna, T, A. Warner, and R. E. Orville, (2013), Stepped-to-dart leaders preceding lightning return strokes, J. Geophys. Res., 118, doi: 10.1002/jgrd.50706.

18) Campos, L., M. F. Saba., T. A. Warner, O. P. Pinto, E. P. Krider, K. L. Cummins, and R. E. Orville, (2013), “High-speed video observations of natural cloud-to-ground lightning leaders – a statistical analysis”, Atmospheric Research, Elsevier.

19) Warner, T. A., K. L. Cummins, and R. E. Orville (2012): Upward lightning observations from towers in Rapid City, South Dakota and comparison with National Lightning Detection Network data, 2004-2010, , J. Geophys. Res., 117, D19109, 16 pp, doi:10.1029/2012JD018346

20) Karunarathne, S., T. Marshall, M. Stolzenburg, N. Karunarathna, L. Vickers, T. A. Warner, and R. E. Orville, 2012, “Locating Initial Breakdown Pulses using Electric Field Change Network”, J. Geophys. Research, DOI: 10.1002/jgrd.50441

21) Warner, T.A., M. F. Saba, Scott Rudge, Matthew Bunkers, Walt Lyons, and R. E. Orville, 2012: “Lightning-triggered upward lightning from towers in Rapid City, South Dakota,” International Lightning Detection Conference, April 2-5, Broomfield, CO

22) Warner, T. A. and R. E. Orville, 2012: Observations of simultaneous upward lightning leaders from multiple tall structures. J. Atmos. Res., doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2011.07.004

23) Warner, T.A., M. F. Saba, and R. E. Orville, “Characteristics of upward leaders from tall towers,” 2012, International Lightning Detection Conference, April 2-5, Broomfield, CO

24) Stolzenburg, M., T. C. Marshall, S. Karunarathne, N. Karunarathna, T. A. Warner, R. E. Orville, and H.-D. Betz, (2012), Strokes of upward illumination occurring within a few milliseconds after typical lightning return strokes, J. Geophys. Res., 117, D15203, doi:10.1029/2012JD017654.

25) Seroka, G. N., R. E. Orville, and C. Schumacher, 2012, “Radar nowcasting of total lightning over the Kennedy Space Center,” Weather and Forecasting, 189-204, vol. 27, Issue 1.

26) Mosier, R. M., C. Schumacher, R. E. Orville, and L. D. Carey, 2011 “Radar nowcasting of cloud-to-ground lightning over Houston, Texas,” Weather and Forecasting, April, Vol. 26, 199-212, DOI: 10.1175/2010WAF2222431.1; Corrigendum DOI: 10.1175/2011WAF-D-11-00049.1

27) Warner, T. A., R. E. Orville, J. L. Marshall, and K. Huggins (2011), Spectral (600–1050 nm) time exposures (99.6 μs) of a lightning stepped leader, J. Geophys. Res., 116, D12210, doi:10.1029/2011JD015663

28) Orville, R. E., G. R. Huffines, W. R. Burrows, and K. Cummins, 2011, “The North American Lightning Detection Network (NALDN): Analysis of Flash Data – 2001-2009,” Mon. Weather Rev., doi: 10.1175/2010MWR3452.1, p.1305-1322.

29) Saba, M., W. Schulz, T. Warner, S. Campos, C. Schumann, E. Krider, K. Cummins, and R. Orville, 2010, “High-speed video observations of positive lightning flashes to ground, “. J. Geophysical Research. [115, D24201, doi:10.1029/2010JD014330, 16 December 2010.

30) Keeler, J., S. Steiger, R. Hamilton, and R. Orville, 2009, “Lake -effect thunderstorms in the lower great lakes,” J. Applied Meteorology and Climatology, Vol. 48, No 5, 889-902.

31) Hodapp, C.L., L.D. Carey, and R.E. Orville, 2008, Evolution of radar reflectivity and total lightning characteristics of the 21 April 2006 mesoscale convective system over Texas, Atmos. Res., doi:10.1016/j.atmosres. 2008.01.007, Vol. 89/1-2 pp 113-137.

32) Ely, B., Orville, R. E., L. D. Carey, and C. L. Hodapp, 2008, “Evolution of the total lightning structure in a leading –line, trailing-stratiform mesoscale convective system over Houston, Texas” J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 113, No. D08114, doi10.1029/2007JD008445.

33) Orville, R. E., 2008, “Development of the National Lightning Detection Network” Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 89, No. 2, 180-190.

34) Hudman, R. C., D J Jacob, S Turquety1, E M Leibensperger, L T Murray, S Wu, A B Gilliland, M Avery, G W Sachse, T H Bertram, R C Cohen, P J Wooldridge, W Brune, X Ren, J E Dibb, F M Flocke, A Fried, J Holloway, A Newman, T B Ryerson, R Orville, and H B.Singh, “Surface and lightning sources of nitrogen oxides in the United States: magnitudes, chemical evolution and outflow,” J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 112, No. D12, D12S05, 10.1029/2006JD007912, 18 April 2007

35) Steiger, S., R. E. Orville, and L. D. Carey, 2007 “Total lightning signatures of thunderstorm intensity, Part I: Supercells,” Mon. Wea. Rev., 135, 3281-3302.

36) Steiger, S, R. E. Orville, and L. D. Carey, 2007 “Total lightning signatures of thunderstorm intensity, Part II: Mesoscale convection systems,” Mon. Wea. Rev., 135, 3303-3324.

37) Gauthier, M. L., W. A. Petersen, L. D. Carey, and R. E. Orville, 2005, “Dissecting the anomaly – A closer look at the documented enhancement in summer time ground flash densities in and around the Houston area,” Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol.32,No.10,L10810 10.1029/2005GL022725 24 May 2005.

38) Ely, B. and R. E. Orville, 2005, “High percentage of positive lightning along the USA West Coast,” Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol.32,No.9,L09815 10.1029/2005GL022782 14 May 2005.

39) Steiger, S. and R. E. Orville, 2003, “Cloud-to-ground lightning enhancement over southern Louisiana,” Geophys. Res. Lett., 30, No. 19, 1975, doi: 10.1029/2003GL017923.

40) Orville, R. E., G. R. Huffines, W. R. Burrows, R. L. Holle, and K. L. Cummins, 2002, “The North American Lightning Detection Network (NALDN) - First Results: 1998-2000,” Mon. Wea. Rev., 130, 8, 2098-2109.

41) Steiger, S., R. Orville, and G. Huffines, 2002, “Cloud-to-ground lightning characteristics over Houston, Texas: 1989-2000,” J. Geophys. Res. 107, D11, 10.1029/2001JD001142.

42) Bond, D., S. Steiger, R. Zhang, S. Tie, and R. E. Orville, 2002, “The importance of NOx production by lightning in the tropics,” Atmos. Environment., 36, 1509-1519.

43) Bond, D. W., R. Zhang, X. Tie, G. Brasseur, G. Huffines, R. Orville, and D. Boccippio, 2001, “NOx production by lightning over the continental United States,” J. Geophys. Res., 106, D21, 27,701-27,710.

44) Orville, R. E., G. R. Huffines, J. Nielsen-Gammon, R. Zhang, B. Ely, S. Steiger, S. Phillips, S. Allen, and W. Read, 2001, “Enhancement of cloud-to-ground lightning over Houston, Texas,” Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, No. 13, 2597-2600.

45) Orville, R. E. and G. R. Huffines, 2001, “Cloud-to-ground lightning in the USA: NLDN results in the first decade 1989-1998,” Mon. Wea. Rev., 129, No. 5, 1179-1193.

46) Murray, N. D., R. E. Orville, and G. R. Huffines, 2000, “Effect of pollution from Central American fires on cloud-to-ground lightning,” Geophys. Res. Lett., 27, (15), August 1, 2000, 2249-2252.

47) Nesbitt, S. W., R. Zhang, and R. Orville, 2000: “Seasonal and global NOx production by lightning estimated from the Optical Transient Detector (OTD),’ Tellus, Series B, 52, (5), 1206-1215.

48) Zhang, R. N. T. Sanger, R. Orville, X. Tie, W. Randel and E. R. Williams, March 1, 2000, “Enhances NOx by lightning in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere inferred from the UARS global NO2 measurements,” Geophys. Res. Lett., 27, No. 5, 685-688.

49) Orville, R. E. 1999: "Comments on large peak cloud-to-ground lightning flashes during the summer months in the contiguous United States," Mon. Wea. Rev., 127, No. 8, 1937-1938.

50) Orville, R. E. and G. R. Huffines, 1999: "Lightning ground flash measurements over the contiguous United States: 1995-1997, Mon. Wea. Rev., 127, No. 11, 2693-2703.

51) Gremillion, M. and R. E. Orville, 1999: "Thunderstorm characteristics of cloud-to-ground lightning at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida: A study of lightning initiation signatures as indicated by the WSR-88D radar," Wea. Forecasting, 14, October, 640-649.

52) Huffines, G. and R. E. Orville, 1999: "Lightning ground flash density and thunderstorm duration in the continental United States: 1989-96” J. Appl. Meteor, 38, 7, 1013-1019.

53) Wacker, R. S. and R. E. Orville, 1999: “Changes in measured lightning flash count and return stroke peak current after the 1994 U. S. National Lightning Detection Network upgrade; Part I: Observations,” J. Geophys. Res., 104, D2, January 27, 19,791-2151-2157.

54) Wacker, R. S. and R. E. Orville, 1999: “Changes in measured lightning flash count and return stroke peak current after the 1994 U. S. National Lightning Detection Network upgrade; Part II: Theory,” J. Geophys. Res., 104, D2, January 27, 2159-2162.

55) Mackerras D., M. Darveniza, R. E. Orville, E. R. Williams and S. Goodman, 1998: “Global lightning total, cloud and ground flash estimates,” J. Geophys. Res., 103, D16, August 27, 19,791-19,809, http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/98JD01461.

56) Hodanish, S., D. Sharp, W. Collins, C. Paxton, and R. E. Orville, 1997: “A ten-year monthly lightning climatology of Florida: 1986 through 1995,” Wea. Forecasting, 12, 3, 437-446.

57) Sheridan, S. C., J. F. Griffiths, and R. E. Orville, 1997: “Cloud-to-ground lightning precipitation relationships in the South Central United States,” Wea. Forecasting, 12, 3, 447-456.

58) Perez, A., L. J. Wicker, and R. E. Orville, 1997: “Characteristics of cloud-to-ground lightning associated with violent tornadoes,” Wea Forecasting, 12, 3, 427-436.

59) Orville, R. E., E. J. Zipser, M. Brook, C. Weidman, G. Aulich, E. P. Krider, H. Christian, S. Goodman, R. Blakeslee, and K. Cummins, 1997: “Lightning in the Region of the TOGA COARE,” Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 78, 1055-1067.

60) Orville, R. E. and A. C. Silver: 1997, “Lightning ground flash density in the contiguous United States: 1992-1995,” Mon. Wea. Rev., 124, 4, 631-638.

61) Livingston, E. R., J. W. Nielsen-Gammon, and R. E. Orville, 1996, “A climatology, synoptic assessment, and thermodynamic evaluation for cloud-to-ground lightning in Georgia: A study for the 1996 summer Olympics,” Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 77, 7, 1483-1495.

62) Toracinta E. R., K. I. Mohr, E. J. Zipser, and R. E. Orville, 1996: “A comparison of WSR-88D reflectivities, SSM/I brightness temperatures, and lightning for mesoscale convective systems in Texas, Part I: Radar reflectivity and lightning,” J. Appl. Meteor., 35, 6, 902-918.

63) Mohr, K. I., E. R. Toracinta, E. J. Zipser, and R. E. Orville, 1996: “A comparison of WSR-88D reflectivities, SSM/I brightness temperatures, and lightning for mesoscale convective systems in Texas, Part II: SSM/I brightness temperatures and lightning,” J. Appl. Meteor., 35, 6, 919-931.

64) Lucas, C. and R. E. Orville, 1996: “TOGA COARE: Oceanic lightning,” Mon. Wea. Rev., 124, 9, 2077-2082.

65) Petersen, W. A., S. A. Rutledge and R. E. Orville, 1996: “Cloud-to-ground lightning observations from TOGA COARE: Selected results and lightning location algorithms,” Mon. Wea. Rev., 124, 4, 602-620.

66) Jordan, D. M., V. P. Idone, R. E. Orville, V. A. Rakov, and M. A. Uman, 1995: “Luminosity characteristics of lightning M-components,” J. Geophys. Res., 100, D12, 25695-25700, Dec. 20.

67) Samsury, C. E. and R. E. Orville, 1994: “Cloud-to-ground lightning in tropical cyclones: A study of Hurricanes Hugo (1989) and Jerry (1989),” Mon. Wea. Rev., 122, No. 8, 1887-1896, August.

68) Orville, R. E., 1994: “Cloud-to-ground lightning flash characteristics in the contiguous United States: 1989-1991,” J. Geophys. Res., 99, No. D5, 10833-10841.

69) Orville, R. E. 1993: "Cloud-to-ground lightning in the Blizzard of '93," Geophys. Res. Lett., 20, No. 13, 1367-1370, July 9.

70) Rodriguez, J. V., U. S. Inan, W. C. Armstrong, Y. Q. Li, R. H. Holzworth, A. J. Smith, T. J. Rosenberg, and R. E. Orville, 1992: "A case study of lightning, whistlers, and associated ionospheric effects during a substorm particle injection event," J. Geophys. Res., 97, No. A1, 65-75.

71) Orville, R. E., 1991: "Calibration of a magnetic direction finding network using measured triggered lightning return stroke peak currents," J. Geophys. Res., 96, D9, 17135‑17142.

72) Yip, W. Y., U. S. Inan, and R. E. Orville, 1991: "On the spatial relationship between lightning discharges and propagation paths of the perturbed subionospheric VLF/LF signals," J. Geophys. Res., 96, A1, 249-258.

73) Orville, R. E., 1991: "Lightning ground flash density in the contiguous United States‑1989," Mon. Wea. Rev., 119, 2, 573‑577.

74) Cooray, V. and R. E. Orville, 1990: "The effect of variation of current amplitude, current rise time, and return stroke velocity along the return stroke channel on the electromagnetic fields generated by return strokes," J. Geophys. Res., 95, D11, 18617‑18630.

75) Moore, P. K., and R. E. Orville, 1990: "Lightning characteristics in lake-effect thunderstorms," Mon. Wea. Rev., 118, 9, 1767‑1782.

76) Orville, R. E., 1990: "Winter lightning along the East Coast," Geophys. Res. Lett., 17, 6, 713‑715.

77) Reap, R. M. and R. E. Orville, 1990: "The relationships between network lightning locations and surface hourly observations of thunderstorms," Mon. Wea. Rev., 118, 1, 94‑108.

78) Orville, R. E., 1990: "Lightning return stroke peak current variation as a function of latitude," Nature, 342, 6254, 149‑151.

79) Idone, V. P. and R. E. Orville, 1990: "Delimiting 'thunderstorm watch' periods by real-time lightning location for a power utility company," Wea. Forecasting, 5, 1, 139‑147.

80) Williams, E. R., M. E. Weber, and R. E. Orville, 1989: "The relationship between lightning type and convective state of thunderclouds," J. Geophys. Res., 94, D11, 13,213‑13,220.

81) Carpenter, D. and R. Orville, 1989: "The excitation of active whistler-mode signal paths in the magnetosphere by lightning; two case studies," J. Geophys. Res., 94, A7, 8886‑8894.

82) Cooray, V. and R. Orville, 1989: "Loran-C timing errors caused by propagation over finitely conducting ground", Radio Science, 24, 2, 179‑182.

83) Willett, J. C., V. P. Idone, R. E. Orville, C. Leteinturier, A. Eybert-Berard, L. Barrett and E. P. Krider, 1988: "An experimental test of the transmission-line model of electromagnetic radiation from triggered lightning return strokes", J. Geophys. Res., 93, 3867‑3878.

84) Inan, U. S., D. C. Shafer, W. Y. Yip, and R. E. Orville, 1988: "Subionospheric vlf signatures of nighttime D-region perturbations in the vicinity of lightning discharges, J. Geophys. Res., 93, A10, 11455‑11472.

85) Inan, U. S. W. C. Burgess, T. G. Wolf, D. C. Shafer, and R. E. Orville, 1988: "Lightning associated precipitation of Mev electrons from the inner radiation belt", Geophys. Res. Lett., 15, 172‑175.

86) Idone, V. P. and R. E. Orville, 1988: "Channel tortuosity variation in Florida triggered lightning" Geophys. Res. Lett., 15, 645‑648.

87) Orville, R. E., R. W. Henderson and L. F. Bosart, 1988: "Bipole patterns revealed by lightning locations in mesoscale storm systems", Geophys. Res. Lett., 15, 129‑132.

88) Orville, R. E. and H. Songster, 1987: "The East Coast lightning detection network", IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, PWRD‑2 (3), 899‑907.

89) Idone, V. P., R. E. Orville, D. Rust, and D. Mach, 1987: "The propagation speed of a positive lightning return stroke", Geophys. Res. Lett., 14, 1150‑1153.

90) Orville, R. E., R. A. Weisman, R. B. Pyle, R. W. Henderson and R. E. Orville, Jr., 1987: "Cloud-to-ground lightning flash characteristics from June 1984 through May 1985", J. Geophysical Research, 92, 5640‑5644.

91) Orville, R. E., 1987: "Meteorological applications of lightning data", Reviews of Geophysics, 25, 411‑414.

92) Orville, R. E. and R. W. Henderson, 1986: "Global distribution of midnight lightning, September 1977 to August 1978", Mon. Wea. Rev., 114, 12, 2640‑2653.

93) Orville, R. E., 1986: "Lightning phenomenology" Studies in geophysics, The Earth's Electrical Environment, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 23‑39.

94) Orville, R. E., R. B. Pyle and R. W. Henderson, 1986: "The East Coast lightning detection network", IEEE Transactions of Power Systems, PWRS‑1, 243‑246.

95) Idone, V. P. and R. E. Orville, 1985: "Correlated peak relative light intensity and peak current in triggered lightning subsequent return strokes", J. Geophys. Res., 90, 6159‑6162.

96) Brook, M., C. Rhodes, O. H. Vaughan, Jr., B. Vonnegut, and R. Orville, 1985: "Nighttime observations of thunderstorm electrical activity from a high altitude airplane", J. Geophys. Res., 90, 6111‑6120.

97) Orville, R. E. and R. W. Henderson, 1984: "Absolute spectral irradiance measurements of lightning from 375 to 880 nm", J. Atmospheric Sciences, 41, 3180‑3187, 1984.

98) Idone, V. P., R. E. Orville, P. Hubert, L. Barrett and A. Eybert-Berard, 1984: "Correlated observation of three triggered lightning flashes", J. Geophys. Res., 89, 1385‑1394.

99) Idone, V. P., R. E. Orville, and R. W. Henderson, 1984: "Ground truth: A positive cloud-to-ground lightning flash", J. Appl. Meteor., 23, 1148‑1151.

100)Idone, V. P. and R. E. Orville, 1984: "Three unusual strokes in a triggered lightning flash", J. Geophys. Res., 89, 7311‑7316.

101)Borucki, W. J., J. S. Levine, G. A. Harvey, W. E. Howell, and R. E. Orville, 1983: "Laboratory simulation of Venusian lightning", Geophys. Res. Lett., 10, 961‑964.

102)Orville, R. E., R. W. Henderson and L. F. Bosart, 1983: "An East Coast lightning detection network", Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 64, 1029‑1037.

103)Davis, M. H., M. Brook, H. Christian, B. G. Heikes, C. G. Park, R. G. Roble, B. Vonnegut, and R. Orville, 1983: "Some scientific objectives of a satellite-borne lightning mapper", Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 64, 114‑119.

104)Christian, H. J., R. L. Frost, P. H. Gillaspy, S. J. Goodman, O. H. Vaughan, Jr., M. Brook, B. Vonnegut, and R. E. Orville, 1983: "Observations of optical lightning emissions from above thunderstorms using U‑2 aircraft", Bulletin of American Meteorological Society, 64, 120‑123.

105)Orville, R. E. and V. P. Idone, 1982: "Lightning leader characteristics in the Thunderstorm Research International Program (TRIP)", J. Geophys. Res., 87, 11177‑11192.

106)Levine, J. S., G. L. Gregory, G. A. Harvey, W. E. Howell, W. J. Borucki, and R. E. Orville, 1982: "Production of nitric oxide by lightning on Venus", Geophys. Res. Lett., 9, 893‑896.

107)Idone, V. P. and R. E. Orville, 1982: "Lightning return stroke velocities in the Thunderstorm Research International Program (TRIP)", J. Geophys. Res., 87, 4903‑4915.

108)Orville, R. E., 1982: "Lightning detection from space", Handbook of Atmospherics, Volume II, edited by H. Volland, CRC Press (Boca Raton, Florida), 79‑98.

109)Orville, R. E., 1981: "Global distribution of midnight lightning-September to November 1977", Mon. Wea. Rev., 109, 391‑395.

110)Orville, R. E., 1980: “Daylight spectra of individual lightning flashes in the 370‑690 nm region", J. Appl. Meteor., 19, 470‑473.

111)Orville, R. E. and D. W. Spencer, 1979: "Global lightning flash frequency" Mon. Wea. Rev., 107, 934‑943.

112)Orville, R. E., G. G. Lala and V. P. Idone, 1978: "Daylight time-resolved photographs of lightning", Science, 201, 59‑61.

113)Orville, R. E., 1978: "Atmospheric science degrees in the United States, 1967‑1977", Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 50, 623‑626.

114)Orville, R. E., 1978: "Lightning", McGraw Hill Yearbook of Science and Technology‑1978, McGraw-Hill, Inc. 242‑243.

115)Orville, R. E. and B. Vonnegut, 1977: "Lightning detection from satellites", Electrical Processes in Atmospheres, edited by H. Dolezalek and R. Reiter, Steinkopff Verlag (Darmstadt), 750‑753.

116)Orville, R. E. and K. Berger, 1977: "Spectroscopic and electric current measurements of lightning at the Monte San Salvatore Observatory, Lugano, Switzerland, Electrical Processes in Atmospheres, edited by H. Dolezalek and R. Reiter, Steinkopff Verlag (Darmstadt), 633‑641.

117)Orville, R. E., 1977: "Lightning spectroscopy," Lightning, Volume 1, Physics of Lightning, edited by R. H. Golde, Academic Press (London), 281‑308.

118)Orville, R. E., 1977: "Wind profile in the sub-cloud layers of a thunderstorm", J. Geophys. Res., 82, 3453‑3456.

119)Orville, R. E., 1977: "Bolts from the blue", Natural History, 86, 66‑73, (reproduced by the United States Information Agency for distribution in Eastern Europe and Russia).

120)Orville, R. E., 1976: "The lightning discharge," The Physics Teacher, 14, 7‑13.

121)Orville, R. E., 1976: "Review of 'Clouds, Rain and Rainmaking' by B. J. Mason," 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, The Physics Teacher, 14, 582‑583.

122)Orville, R. E. and J. Boyle, 1976: "Return stroke velocity measurements in multi-stroke lightning flashes", J. Geophys. Res., 81, 4461‑4466.

123)Orville, R. E., 1975: "Spectrum of the lightning dart leader", Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 32, 1829‑1837.

124) Orville, R. E., J. Helsdon and W. Evans, 1974: "Quantitative analysis of a lightning return stroke for diameter and luminosity changes as a function of space and time," J. Geophys. Res., 69, 4059‑4067.

125) Orville, R. E. and J. Helsdon, 1974: "Pseudo-color densitometer analysis--The Apollo 17/Saturn V exhaust plume", Journal of Applied Optics, 13, 2197‑2202.

126) Orville, R. E., L. F. Bosart, T. Chen and H. Roesli, 1974: "A preliminary study of the synoptic conditions associated with lightning flashes over Mt. San Salvatore, Lugano, Switzerland", Tellus, 26, 495‑505.

127) Krider, E. P., R. Noggle, M. A. Uman, and R. E. Orville, 1974: "Lightning and the Apollo 17/Saturn V exhaust plume", Spacecraft and Rockets, 11, 72‑75.

128) McGee-Russell, S. and R. Orville, 1973: "Aspects of image analysis of high voltage micrographs of air-dried and critical-point-dried whole mounts of pseudopodial networks of the marine protozoan allogromia (foraminifera)--Hand methods and electronic methods", Proceedings of the Royal Meteorological Society-London, 155‑162.

129) Orville, R. E. and K. Berger, 1973: "An unusual lightning flash initiated by an upward-propagating leader", J. Geophys. Res., 78, 21, 4520‑4525.

130) Orville, R. E. 1972: "Comments on 'Precipitation processes revealed by cosmogenic radionuclide scavenging'," Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 29, 787.

131) Orville, R. E. and L E. Salanave, 1970: "Lightning spectroscopy--photographic techniques", Journal of Applied Optics, 9, 8, 1775‑1781.

132) Orville, R. E., 1969: "Time-resolved characteristics of the lightning return stroke", in Planetary Electrodynamics, edited by S. C. Coroniti and J. Hughes, Gordon and Breach, New York, 467‑483.

133) Uman, M. A., A.M. Sletten, E. P. Krider, and R. E. Orville, 1968: "Four-meter sparks in air", Journal of Applied Physics, 39, 11, 5162‑5168.

134) Orville, R. E., 1968: "Photograph of a close lightning flash", Science, 162, 666‑667.

135) Orville, R. E., 1968: "Spectrum of the lightning stepped leader", J. Geophys. Res., 73, 22, 6999‑7008.

136) Dawson, G., M. A. Uman, and R. E. Orville, 1968: "Discussion of the paper by Hill and Robb, 'Pressure pulse from a lightning stroke'", J. Geophys. Res., 73, 20, 6595‑6597.

137) Orville, R. E., 1968: "A high-speed time-resolved spectroscopic study of the lightning return stroke: Part III., A time-dependent model, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 25, 5, 827‑838.

138) Orville, R. E., 1968: "A high-speed time-resolved spectroscopic study of the lightning return stroke: Part II., A quantitative analysis, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 25, 5, 839‑851.

139) Orville, R. E., 1968: "A high-speed time-resolved spectroscopic study of the lightning return stroke: Part I., A qualitative analysis, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 25, 5, 827‑838.

140) Orville, R. E., 1967: "Ozone production during thunderstorms, measured by the absorption of ultraviolet radiation from lightning", J. Geophys. Res., 72, 14, 3557‑3561.

141) Uman, M. A., A.M. Sletten, and R. E. Orville, 1967: "Temperature and electron density in long air sparks", Journal of Applied Physics, 38, 895‑896.

142) Orville, R. E., 1966: "High-speed time-resolved slitless spectrum of a lightning stroke", Science 151, 451‑452.

143) Uman, M. A. and R. E. Orville, 1965: "The opacity of lightning", J. Geophys. Res., 70, 22, 5491‑5497.

144) Uman, M. A. and R. E. Orville, 1965: "The optical continuum of lightning", J. Geophys. Res., 70, 3, 279‑282.

145) Uman, M. A., L. E. Salanave, and R. E. Orville, 1964: "The mass density, pressure, and electron density in three lightning strokes near peak temperature", J. Geophys. Res., 69, 5423‑5424.

146) Uman, M. A. and R. E. Orville, 1964: "Electron density measurement in lightning from stark-broadening of H-alpha" J. Geophys. Res., 69, 24, 5151‑5154.

147) Uman, M. A., L. E. Salanave, and R. E. Orville, 1964: "The density, pressure, and particle distribution in a lightning stroke near peak temperature", Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 21, 3, 306‑310.

148) Salanave, L. E., R. E. Orville, and C. N. Richards, 1962: "Slitless spectra of lightning in the region from 3850 to 6900 angstroms", J. Geophys. Res. 67, 1877‑1884.

Education

Ph.D., University of Arizona, 1966

M.S. University of Arizona, 1963

A.B. Princeton University, 1958

Awards

1979 Fellow, American Meteorological Society

1986 Editors Award, American Geophysical Union, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmospheres

1987 Sackler Medal in Geophysics, Tel Aviv University, Israel

1989 Suomi Distinguished Lecturer (Inaugural lecturer), University of Wisconsin, Madison

1991 J. Murray Mitchell Lecturer (Inaugural lecturer), Blue Hill Observatory, Cambridge, MA

1992 Editors Award, American Geophysical Union, J. Geophys. Res. –Atmospheres

1994 Charles Franklin Brooks Award, American Meteorological Society, “For superb leadership as Commissioner for more than a decade”

1996 Editors Award, American Meteorological Society, Monthly Weather Review, “for outstanding work in organizing the special issue on lightning and atmospheric electricity for Monthly Weather Review.”

2000 Faculty Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching, Texas A&M University, College of Geosciences

2006 Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Advance of Applied Meteorology, American Meteorological Society, “For distinguished scientific contributions which have greatly improved our understanding the phenomenology and climatology of the lightning discharge.”

2007 Sigma Xi, Distinguished Scientist Award

2008 Fellow, American Geophysical Union

2011 Established in Richard Orville’s Will a College of Geosciences Undergraduate Scholarships with an endowment of $250,000 for up to ten scholarships of $25,000 each.

2015 Keynote Speaker: EOS/ESD (Electrical Overstress/Electrostatic Discharge) International Symposium Sept 27 – Oct 2, 2015, Reno, NV

2016 Established the “Dr. Richard and Barbara Orville” annual undergraduate scholarship in the College of Geosciences with an endowment of $25,000. First award to be given in the summer of 2016.

Links

Lightning Dection Network - YouTube interview

Research ID

Jared Plushnick and Richard Orville discuss nationwide lightning detection network

Additional Information

Professional Societies:

American Meteorological Society (Fellow, 1979)

American Geophysical Union (Fellow, 2009)

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Royal Meteorological Society (Foreign Member)

National Weather Association

American Optical Society

Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers

International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics

Sigma Xi

National Geographical Society photographer

Employment:

1958‑1959: U. S. Army; 1^st Lt., Honorable discharge from the U. S. Army Reserve, 1966.

1959‑1960: Proctor and Gamble Manufacturing Company, Baltimore, MD.

1960‑1961: Research Assistant; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.

1961‑1966: Research Assistant, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.

1966‑1968: Senior scientist, Westinghouse Research Laboratories, Pittsburgh, PA.

1968‑1981: Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York (1968‑1971: Primary association with the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center.)

1970-71: Associate Program Director, Physical Meteorology, National Science Foundation, Washington DC.

1981‑1991: Professor of Atmospheric Science, State University of New York at Albany

1983‑1988: Chairman, Department of Atmospheric Science, State University of New York at Albany

1983‑1990: Director, Thunderstorm Analysis Center, State University of New York at Albany

1991-2003: Research Scientist and Fellow, Cooperative Institute for Applied Meteorological Studies, and Distinguished Lecturer, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.

1993-2014: Director, Cooperative Institute for Applied Meteorological Studies, Texas A&M University

2003-2007: Department Head of Atmospheric Sciences

2003-2014: Professor

2008-present: Distinguished Scientist

2014-present: Research Professor

2014-present: Professor Emeritus

Professional Service

1. American Meteorological Society

a. Committee on Atmospheric Electricity, Chairman, 1970‑1972.

b. Organized symposium on education in the atmospheric sciences, AMS Annual Meeting, January 1972, New Orleans (with Edward Epstein, Peter Gilman and Walter Orr Roberts).

c. Board of Meteorological Education in Universities, 1969‑1975.

d. Awards Committee, 1973.

e. Commission on Education and Manpower, 1976‑1982, Chairman

f. Arranged first meeting of the heads and chairmen of atmospheric science departments in the United States, Boulder, Colorado, October 12‑13, 1977 (with Donald R. Johnson). Meetings continue today on a biennial basis.

g. Nominating Committee, 1984, 1985 (Chairman)

h. Publications Commission, Chairman 1986-1992.

i. Information Systems Committee, 1992-2001

Ad Hoc Committee for the revision of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 2000-2002
Created (2011) the American Meteorological Society, “Orville Family Endowed Scholarship” with a current value of approximately $400K, which recognizes the Orville family’s 85+ years of continuous AMS service, which began in 1928 when H. T. Orville joined the AMS and began graduate work at MIT.

2. American Association for the Advancement of Science Chautauqua lecturer on atmospheric electricity, 1972‑1973.

3. National Academy of Sciences weather modification panel, 1972‑1973.

4. National Research Council panel for review of postdoctoral research associateships, 1980.

5. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).

a. NCAR-University Relations Committee, 1972‑1974.

b. Ad-hoc UCAR Reorganization Committee, 1973‑1974.

c. Search Committee: Special Assistant for University affairs, 1974‑1975.

d. Scientific Programs Evaluation Committee Review Panel for the Advanced Study Program (1976), Chairman (1979).

e. UCAR/AMS Evaluation Committee on Computer-Driven Video Display Systems for Research and Teaching in Atmospheric Science, 1978‑1980.

f. University Relations Committee 1981‑1984; President’s Advisory Committee on University Relations (PACUR) 2004-2010

g. Member's Representative, 1983‑90, 2003-2008

h. UCAR Board of Trustees, 1984‑90

(1) Audit Committee 1985

(2) Personnel Committee (Chairman 1987)

(3) Budget and Programs Committee

(4) Treasurer 1986

(5) Executive Committee 1986‑90

(6) Vice Chairman 1989

i. UNIDATA Management Committee, 1984‑1985

j. Search Committee for the NCAR Director, 1988‑89

6. Editorships

a. Associate Editor, AMS Meteorological Monographs, 1983-2002

b. Associate Editor, AGU Geophysical Research Letters, 1978‑1982.

c. Member Board of Editors for "Handbook of Applied Meteorology", John Wiley, Inc. with H. Panofsky, H. Landsberg, D. Houghton, R. Serafin, T. VonderHaar, and S. Changnon, published 1985.

d. Associate Editor, J. Geophys. Res., 1983‑1988

e. Associate Editor, National Weather Digest, 1992-2002

f. Editorial Board, Meteorological and Geoastrophysical Abstracts, 1991-2003

g. Editor, Meteorological and Geoastrophysical Abstracts, 2003-2007

h. Guest Editor, Monthly Weather Review Special Issue on Thunderstorm Electrification and Lightning, August 1994.

i. Member, Editorial Board, Glossary of Meteorology, 2^nd Edition, 2002.

j. Editor, new AGU electronic journal: Editor’s Choice: Atmospheric and Space Electricity, January 2002-2007.

k. Editorial Board Member, Journal of Geology & Geosciences, 2011- present

7. International Commission on Atmospheric Electricity/International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics

a. Commission on Sferics and Lightning, 1974-1984

b. Ad-hoc Commission on Comparative Lightning Parameters, 1976-1986

c. Member, Governing Commission, 1980-1992

d. Chairman, Organizing Committee, VII International Conference on Atmospheric Electricity held at State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, June 1984.

8. American Geophysical Union

President-Elect, Atmospheric Sciences Section, 1986‑88

President, Atmospheric Sciences Section, 1988‑90

Member, Search Committee for JGR-Atmospheres, 1999-2000

Member: AGU Presidents’ Club (1990-present)

9. Universities Space Research Association and Review Committee on Atmospheric Electricity (1978‑1979) with R. Braham, A. Dessler, A. Few, J. Firor, M. Davis and C. Park.

10. Member, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Weather Modification Advisory Board, January 2002-2008, Chair 2005-2008 (Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry)

Patents:

#3,544,843-"High-Voltage Direct Current Circuit Interrupter," December 1, 1970; (with A.M. Sletten, M. A. Uman and A.J. Venturino)

Contracts and Grants : (PI on all grants)

SPONSOR	TITLE	PROJECT PERIOD	AMOUNT	INDIRECT %

NSF	Lightning Flash Measurements in the TOGA COARE Program	09/01/92 - 02/29/96	$425,094	43% MTDC
NSF	The Physical and Meteorological Characteristics Associated with	09/01/93 - 12/31/97	$527,938	45% MTDC
	Lightning Flashes to Ground
USDA	National Forests and Grasslands in Texas	09/01/94 - 09/30/96	$17,000	None
DOC/NOAA	Proposal for the 1995-96 Funding for the CIAMS	10/01/95 - 12/31/97	$405,000	15% MTDC
NSF	Lightning Flash Measurements in the TOGA COARE Program	09/01/96 - 08/31/98	$80,000	45% MTDC
DOC/NOAA	Proposal for 1997 - 98 Funding for the CIAMS	04/01/98 - 06/30/01	$400,000	15% MTDC
NSF	The Physical and Meteorological Characteristics Associated with	06/01/98 - 09/30/01	$366,907	45% MTDC
	Lightning Flashes to Ground
UCAR	Why and When Lightning Ground Flash Hot Spots Occur	06/01/99 - 09/30/00	$32,000	15% MTDC
DOC/NOAA	Cooperative Research Applied to NWS Southern Region Problems	04/01/01 - 03/31/04	$357,599	15% MTDC
NSF	The Physical and Meteorological Characteristics Associated with	10/01/01 - 07/30/05	$430,502	45.5% MTDC
	Lightning Ground Flashes: The NLDN and the CLDN
NSF	Enlightening Lightning! Coupling Earth Systems Research to K-12 Education Using Planetarium Presentations	9/1/2003-8/31/2005	$179,000
NSF	Acquisition of a Three Dimensional Lightning Channel Mapping Network	09/01/03 - 07/31/05	$382,483	None
	for the Houston, Texas Area
NSF	Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR II) Operation, Evaluation, and Analyses in the Houston Environmental Aerosol Thunderstorm (HEAT) Project	1/1/05 – 12/30/2009	$843,371
NSF	Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences Program, Track 1: Proof-of-Concept (PI: Mary Jo Richardson, with Co PI’s R. Orville, K. Price-Blount, L. Cifuentes, J. Norwine, and K. Tobin)	June 2005 – May 2007	$66,099
DOC/NOAA	Lightning in the Nowcasting and Warning Process: Cooperative Research Applied to NWS Needs and Priorities (with C. Schumacher and L. Carey)	8/1/2008 – 7/31/2012	$373,030
NSF	Digital High Speed Spectroscopic Lightning Studies	9/1/2008 – 8/31/2013	$412,051
NSF	Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR II) Network Operation and Analyses over a Highly Polluted City – Houston, Texas.	9/1/2009 – 8/31/2013	$749,852
NSF	Digital High-Speed Spectroscopic Recordings in the Upward Lightning Triggering Studies (UPLIGHTS)	4/1/2013 – 3/31/2016	$442,903
NASA	Houston Lightning Mapper Array (LMA) Operation through Oklahoma	5/1/2014-7/31/2017	$155,000
NSF	Collaborative Proposal: Houston Lightning Mapping Array (LMA)/ with D. MacGorman (Oklahoma) with Earle Williams (MIT) with Daniel Rosenfeld	9/1/2015-8/31/2018	(App $800K)
		TOTAL	$7,270,187

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