Oceanic Kelvin waves and tropical Atlantic intraseasonal variability: 1. Kelvin wave characterization

Abstract

Oceanic Kelvin waves from the equator to the West African coast are investigated in the framework of tropical Atlantic intraseasonal variability. In order to better highlight the wave propagations, a 25–95 day band‐pass filter was applied to the sea surface height (SSH) product derived from the TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter and an ocean general circulation model simulation for the 1993–2000 period. In addition to equatorial eastward propagations, our analysis reveals recurrent and continuous propagations distinguishable over thousands of kilometers poleward along the coasts as far as about 10°–15° latitude, a novel result with altimeter data. The variance of the filtered SSH signal goes from 1 cm at the equator to 2 cm at the African coast. Estimates of the phase speed range from 1.5 to 2.1 m/s along the equator and the West African coastline. Such values are very close to those of equatorial Kelvin wave propagations, likely dominated by the first two baroclinic modes, supporting the fact that the coastal propagations are coastally trapped Kelvin waves. In order to simplify the description of these Kelvin waves, we present an intraseasonal climatology which reveals regular boreal autumn–winter equator to coast propagations. An improved description is achieved thanks to the computation of an extended empirical orthogonal function for the boreal autumn–winter propagations. Lag correlation of SSH signals allows for a twofold quantification: the phase speed and the importance of remote forcing along the coast. The remote forcing effect of intraseasonal Kelvin waves is clearly evidenced over coastal upwelling regions as far as 10°–15° latitude. The physical mechanism associated with the forcing of the Kelvin waves and its impacts will be investigated in a future paper.