Comparison of the Evolution of Storm Cells Using the GTRI DBSCAN Cell Identification and Tracking Algorithm

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) Severe Storms Research Center (SSRC) storm cell identification and tracking algorithms based on density-based spatial clustering with applications in noise (DBSCAN) have evolved from a two dimensional to a three dimensional tracker. Utilization of variable threshold levels in the three dimensional tracker to handle cell splits and mergers is now being evaluated. The application of these various evolutions of the DBSCAN algorithm to a single storm complex will be examined. Some of the parameters which may be used in the examination include lightning data from the NLDN (normalized by cell volume and time), cell volume or area at various reflectivity thresholds, maximum radar reflectivity within the cell, height of maximum reflectivity, as well as the height evolution of various reflectivity contours and other parameters.