Chemical fluctuations associated with vertically propagating equatorial Kelvin waves

Satellite retrievals of ozone and nitrogen dioxide from the Nimbus-7 Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) reveal distinct spectral features which are collocated in frequency with Kelvin wave temperature fluctuations. These features represent a significant component of the unsteady variance in retrievals of O₃ and nighttime NO₂ in the tropics and are very similar to Kelvin wave temperature disturbances. Chemical fluctuations occur symmetrically about the equator, in phase across the tropics, and propagate downward, all consistent with the behavior of equatorial Kelvin waves. -from Authors