Exploring Possible Tornado Seismic Signals From the December 10-11, 2021, Tornado Outbreak in the Central U.S.
Description:
Tornadoes can cause significant structural damage and endanger lives. Although Doppler radar is able to detect storms that can produce tornadoes, it is unable to identify when a tornado has actually touched down. If grounded tornadoes transfer significant amounts of their energy into the earth as seismic vibrations, seismometers could offer a solution by serving as touch-down warning systems. As an initial effort to evaluate this possibility, we analyzed waveform data from permanent broadband seismometers located within 50 km of an EF-4 tornado’s 129 km-long track. This tornado touched down in NW Arkansas on December 10, 2021, and was one of several tornados in the December 10–11 outbreak. We also gathered tornado track data, touch-down and lift-off times, and Enhanced Fujita (EF) ratings from the National Weather Service. Our approach to identifying tornado-seismic signals (TSSs) included analyzing seismograms and spectrograms before, during, and after the tornado touched down. Preprocessing the waveform data involved tapering, filtering (passband of 0.005 to 45 Hz), and instrument response removal. Spectrograms were then plotted from two-hours prior to touch down through two hours following the tornado’s lift off to isolate any unique signals while the tornado was in contact with the ground. Preliminary results suggest that TSSs have been recorded at two seismic stations, both of which are located within 6 km of this tornado’s track. Vertical- and horizontal-component spectrograms reveal a unique band of increased intensity between 30–45 Hz during ground contact. Two other stations that do not show enhanced signals in this frequency band are located at distances of 20 km or greater from the tornado’s track, suggesting attenuation reduced higher-frequency signals at these larger distances. Our next steps include analyzing recordings from the other tornados in this outbreak and incorporating nearby short-period seismometers in our analyses. In addition, we will evaluate the thresholds at which TSSs can be recorded based on distance, frequency content, and EF rating.
Session: Geophysics in a Changing World: Monitoring Applications from Seismology and Beyond [Poster]
Type: Poster
Date: 4/15/2025
Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)
Presenting Author: Seth
Student Presenter: Yes
Invited Presentation:
Poster Number: 50
Authors
Seth Thompson Presenting Author Corresponding Author seth.thompson@uky.edu University of Kentucky |
Seth Carpenter seth.carpenter@uky.edu University of Kentucky |
Zhenming Wang zmwang@uky.edu University of Kentucky |
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Exploring Possible Tornado Seismic Signals From the December 10-11, 2021, Tornado Outbreak in the Central U.S.
Session
Geophysics in a Changing World: Monitoring Applications from Seismology and Beyond