Tornadic debris signature

From Glossary of Meteorology

tornadic debris signature

Often referred to as a TDS. A dual-polarization radar-based feature indicative of nonmeteorological tornadic debris present in the radar sample volume. It is typically associated with a significantly reduced copolar correlation coefficient, a low differential reflectivity, and sometimes an enhanced reflectivity factor, which are centered or nearly centered on a tornadic vortex signature.

Ryzhkov, A. V., T. J. Schurr, D. W. Burgess, and D. S. Zrnic, 2005: Polarimetric tornado detection. J. Appl. Meteor., 44, 557–570, doi:10.1175/JAM2235.1.

Kumjian, M. R., and A. J. Ryzhkov, 2008: Polarimetric signatures in supercell thunderstorms. J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol., 47, 1940–1961, doi:10.1175/2007JAMC1874.1.


Term edited 28 May 2019.


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