Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas

<p>Canada’s tornado climatology has historically been challenging to accurately assess. Many Canadian tornadoes are currently rated on the Enhanced Fujita scale using treefall as a damage indicator, though this approach may occasionally underestimate tornado intensity. In this work, we propose...

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1. Verfasser: Sophia G. Slabon (22677053) (author)
Weitere Verfasser: Catherine D. Neish (22677056) (author), Connell S. Miller (18783010) (author)
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Sophia G. Slabon (22677053)
author2 Catherine D. Neish (22677056)
Connell S. Miller (18783010)
author2_role author
author
author_facet Sophia G. Slabon (22677053)
Catherine D. Neish (22677056)
Connell S. Miller (18783010)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Sophia G. Slabon (22677053)
Catherine D. Neish (22677056)
Connell S. Miller (18783010)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-11-24T21:40:04Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.6084/m9.figshare.30698444.v1
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Synthetic_Aperture_Radar_as_a_Tool_for_Tornado_Classification_in_Forested_Areas/30698444
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Ecology
Cancer
Space Science
Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
Information Systems not elsewhere classified
synthetic aperture radar
treefall damage indicators
tornadoes originally assigned
recent canadian tornadoes
many canadian tornadoes
higher intensity tornadoes
accurate tornado ratings
damage indicator
classifying tornadoes
classify tornadoes
tornado event
tornado climatology
tornado classification
track consisting
study provides
results showed
least 25
large number
forested areas
ef3 +)
ef2 based
currently rated
canada ’
accurately assess
1 c
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Dataset
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dataset
description <p>Canada’s tornado climatology has historically been challenging to accurately assess. Many Canadian tornadoes are currently rated on the Enhanced Fujita scale using treefall as a damage indicator, though this approach may occasionally underestimate tornado intensity. In this work, we propose that the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of tornado tracks may lead to more accurate tornado ratings in tornadoes that have at least 25% of their track consisting of forested areas. We create a replicable methodology by which SAR data can be used to classify tornadoes by generating difference images using Sentinel-1 C-Band radar data acquired before and after the tornado event. We apply this methodology to a large number of recent Canadian tornadoes. The results showed that only higher intensity tornadoes (EF3+) were detectable in the SAR change detection images. Critically, the results revealed possible misclassifications, where tornadoes originally assigned a rating of EF2 based on treefall damage indicators were visible in the SAR imagery. Our study provides a foundation for future work, providing an improved methodology for classifying tornadoes in remote forested areas.</p>
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
id Manara_3cf3afc79d825996081b533512b2e735
identifier_str_mv 10.6084/m9.figshare.30698444.v1
network_acronym_str Manara
network_name_str ManaraRepo
oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/30698444
publishDate 2025
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository_id_str
rights_invalid_str_mv CC BY 4.0
spelling Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested AreasSophia G. Slabon (22677053)Catherine D. Neish (22677056)Connell S. Miller (18783010)EcologyCancerSpace ScienceEnvironmental Sciences not elsewhere classifiedBiological Sciences not elsewhere classifiedInformation Systems not elsewhere classifiedsynthetic aperture radartreefall damage indicatorstornadoes originally assignedrecent canadian tornadoesmany canadian tornadoeshigher intensity tornadoesaccurate tornado ratingsdamage indicatorclassifying tornadoesclassify tornadoestornado eventtornado climatologytornado classificationtrack consistingstudy providesresults showedleast 25large numberforested areasef3 +)ef2 basedcurrently ratedcanada ’accurately assess1 c<p>Canada’s tornado climatology has historically been challenging to accurately assess. Many Canadian tornadoes are currently rated on the Enhanced Fujita scale using treefall as a damage indicator, though this approach may occasionally underestimate tornado intensity. In this work, we propose that the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of tornado tracks may lead to more accurate tornado ratings in tornadoes that have at least 25% of their track consisting of forested areas. We create a replicable methodology by which SAR data can be used to classify tornadoes by generating difference images using Sentinel-1 C-Band radar data acquired before and after the tornado event. We apply this methodology to a large number of recent Canadian tornadoes. The results showed that only higher intensity tornadoes (EF3+) were detectable in the SAR change detection images. Critically, the results revealed possible misclassifications, where tornadoes originally assigned a rating of EF2 based on treefall damage indicators were visible in the SAR imagery. Our study provides a foundation for future work, providing an improved methodology for classifying tornadoes in remote forested areas.</p>2025-11-24T21:40:04ZDatasetinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiondataset10.6084/m9.figshare.30698444.v1https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Synthetic_Aperture_Radar_as_a_Tool_for_Tornado_Classification_in_Forested_Areas/30698444CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/306984442025-11-24T21:40:04Z
spellingShingle Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas
Sophia G. Slabon (22677053)
Ecology
Cancer
Space Science
Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
Information Systems not elsewhere classified
synthetic aperture radar
treefall damage indicators
tornadoes originally assigned
recent canadian tornadoes
many canadian tornadoes
higher intensity tornadoes
accurate tornado ratings
damage indicator
classifying tornadoes
classify tornadoes
tornado event
tornado climatology
tornado classification
track consisting
study provides
results showed
least 25
large number
forested areas
ef3 +)
ef2 based
currently rated
canada ’
accurately assess
1 c
status_str publishedVersion
title Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas
title_full Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas
title_fullStr Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas
title_full_unstemmed Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas
title_short Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas
title_sort Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas
topic Ecology
Cancer
Space Science
Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
Information Systems not elsewhere classified
synthetic aperture radar
treefall damage indicators
tornadoes originally assigned
recent canadian tornadoes
many canadian tornadoes
higher intensity tornadoes
accurate tornado ratings
damage indicator
classifying tornadoes
classify tornadoes
tornado event
tornado climatology
tornado classification
track consisting
study provides
results showed
least 25
large number
forested areas
ef3 +)
ef2 based
currently rated
canada ’
accurately assess
1 c