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Oceanic Kelvin & Rossby Waves
1996
This sequence of 3 TOPEX/Poseidon "snapshots" show sea surface height data in the Pacific Ocean. White and red indicated higher than average levels; purple and
magenta indicate lower than average levels. These scenes show eastward-moving Kelvin waves andwestward-moving Rossby waves. Superimposed black circles
show how the elevated sea surface moves east in April, then west as Rossby waves during July and December.
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The 2 small black circles off the coast of the Americas correspond to sea level highs on the trailing edge of
Kelvin waves. The leading edge of this wave group has bounced off the coastline, creating Rossby waves
whose rising and falling sea levels are marked by solid and dashed lines, respectively.
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In the July image, the circles are moving west with the Rossby waves. The "X" marks a relative sea level
low caused by a Kelvin wave moving east.
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In December, the Rossby waves continue to move westward. The shapes of the solid and dashed lines
indicate that the Rossby waves are moving away from the Americas faster at the equator than at higher
latitudes.
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NASA/JPL/Caltech
JPL Identification #: P-46847
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