DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15113263
title: IMPMCT: A Dataset of Integrated Multi-source Polar Meso-Cyclone Tracks

description: Short description

IMPMCT combines vortices tracking algorithms from ERA5 reanalysis with deep learning-based detection of cyclonic cloud features in Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) infrared imagery, while incorporating near-surface wind matching by Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) and Quick Scatterometer (QUIKSCAT) measurements. The dataset contains 1,185 vortices tracks, 16,418 cyclonic cloud features, and 4,133 wind speed records, with multi-dimensional attributes such as cloud morphology, core wind speed, and environmental advection wind speed.   - Temporal Coverage**: February 2001 – November 2023.    - Spatial Coverage**: 50–85°N, 40°W–80°E.  

Dataset Structure  

1、cyclone_IR_images

- Contains 1,185 subfolders named by cyclone IDs (matching track IDs).  - Each subfolder stores infrared images of cyclonic cloud features.  - These images are generated in the same way as the VCI image (see arcticle),but are centered on cyclone      centers, with wind vectors overlaid when available.  - Naming convention: `{ID}_{step}.png` (e.g., `11_3.png`), where step denotes the temporal sequence.  - Brightness temperature mapped to grayscale (210–280 K), wind speed mapped to 0–25 m/s (examples in auxiliary folder).  

2、auxiliary_information

   Color mapping examples 

    - Mapping_of_brightness_temperature_to_grayscale.png    - Wind_speed_mapping.png  

   Vortex evolution logs

    - split_IDs.txt: IDs of vortices formed via splitting.      - merge_IDs.txt: IDs of vortices terminated via merging.      - merge_example.png、split_example.png (illustrating merging/splitting processes).  

3、Data Tables

ERA5_tracks.xlsx




                        Variables
Abbreviations
Units
Notes


ID
ID
 
Track  identifier


Longitude
lon
°E/°W
Vortex center longitude


Latitude
lat
°N
Vortex center latitude


Time
time
UTC
Timestamp of track point


Smoothed relative vorticity at 850hPa
ζ_smth850
10^-4 s^-1
850 hPa relative vorticity uniformly smoothed over a 60 km radius at the vortex center 


Vorticity equivalent radius
r
km
Equivalent circular radius of the vortex area


Sea level pressure center value 
slp
hPa
Minimum sea-level pressure within 150km of the  vort center


Sea level pressure center longitude
slp_lon
°E /°W
Longitude of the matched SLP minimum cente


Sea level pressure center latitude
slp_lat
°N
Latitude of the matched SLP minimum center




note:The track with ID 436 differs by 3 time steps, which is connected in the cloud image but disconnected in ERA5 data

cyclone_infos.xlsx




                        Variables
Abbreviations
Units
Notes


ID
ID
 
Track identifier (corresponds to vortex track)


Sequence number
step
 
Cyclone image step at temporal sequence


Longitude
lon
°E/°W
Cyclone center longitude


Latitude
lat
°N 
Cyclone center latitude


AVHRR scanning time
time
UTC
Average time of AVHRR scanning within 50km of the cyclone center 


Width of bounding box
width
km
Shorter side of the oriented bounding box circumscribing the cyclone


Length of bounding box
length
km
Longer side of the oriented bounding box circumscribing the cyclone


AVHRR satellite
AVHRR_satellite
 
Satellite used to draw the AVHRR infrared image


Scatterometer scanning time
wind_time
UTC 
Average time of wind scatterometer scanning within 50km of the cyclone center


Maximum near-surface wind speed associated with the cyclone
max_wind
m/s
Maximum near-surface wind speed within a short search radius of the cyclone center


Environmental advection near-surface wind speed
env_wind
m/s
75th percentile of near-surface wind speed within a long search radius of the cyclone center


Effective ratio of wind speed
valid_fraction
 
Proportion of available wind speed data within a short search radius