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Tornado debris signature
Detection of tornado debris in weather radar / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A tornadic debris signature (TDS), often colloquially referred to as a debris ball,[1] is an area of high reflectivity on weather radar caused by debris lofting into the air, usually associated with a tornado.[1][2] A TDS may also be indicated by dual-polarization radar products, designated as a polarimetric tornado debris signature (PTDS). Polarimetric radar can discern meteorological and nonmeteorological hydrometeors and the co-location of a PTDS with the enhanced reflectivity of a debris ball are used by meteorologists as confirmation that a tornado is occurring.[3]
![Image showing two radar images. On the left is a base reflectivity radar image, which displays precipitation. On the right is a storm relative velocity radar image, which shows direction and intensity of wind speeds.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Radar_image_of_the_2011_Joplin_tornado_May_22%2C_2011_2248Z.png/640px-Radar_image_of_the_2011_Joplin_tornado_May_22%2C_2011_2248Z.png)