Comments on the Terminology of "Convectively-Coupled Kelvin Waves"

The terminology "convectively-coupled Kelvin waves" has been used frequently in the literature to refer to the 15 m/s eastward-moving planetary and large-scale waves in the tropics. This note points out that this terminology is not appropriate, since these waves contain Rossby waves and mixed Rossby-gravity waves also. The significance of pointing out this misnomer is that a better understanding of these waves may contribute to the search for their cause.