Signatures of ultra fast Kelvin waves in low latitude ionospheric TEC during January 2009 stratospheric warming event

•Generation of UFK waves in low-latitude ionospheric TEC.•UFK wave signatures during Sudden Stratospheric warming event.•Vertical and Lateral Propagation characteristics of UFK waves.

In this study, for the first time, planetary wave signatures in ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) retrieved from global positioning service (GPS), mesospheric wind and temperature at low latitude station has been identified during January–February 2009. Our investigations revealed that planetary waves with 3–5 days periodicity characterized as ultrafast Kelvin (UFK) waves caused by stratospheric warming event during January 2009. The UFK waves are observed to be propagated from lower atmosphere to ionosphere. The UFK perturbations during SSW event are discussed in the light of current understanding of role of non linear interaction of planetary waves to modulate low latitude ionosphere.