Observations in the vicinity of substorm onset: Implications for the substorm process

Multi‐instrument data sets from the ground and satellites at both low and high altitude have provided new results concerning substorm onset and its source region in the magnetosphere. Twenty‐six out of 37 substorm onset events showed evidence of azimuthally spaced auroral forms (AAFs) prior to the explosive poleward motion associated with optical substorm onset. The azimuthal wavelengths associated with these onsets were found to range between 132 and 583 km with a mean value of 307±115 km. The occurrence rate increased with decreasing wavelength down to a cutoff wavelength near 130 km. AAFs can span 8 hours of local time prior to onset and generally propagate eastward in the morning sector. Onset itself is, however, more localized spanning only about 1 hour local time. The average location of the peak intensity for 80 onsets was 65.9±3.5 CGMlat, 22.9±1.2 Mlt, whereas the average location of the AAF onsets was at 63.8±3.3 CGMlat, 22.9±1.1 Mlt. AAF onsets occur during time periods when the solar wind pressure is relatively high. These low‐latitude wavelike onsets appear as precursors in the form of long‐period magnetic pulsations (Pc 5 band) and frequently occur on the equatorward portion of the double oval distribution. AAFs brighten in conjunction with substorm onset leading to the conclusion that they are a growth phase activity causally related to substorm onset. Precursor activity associated with these AAFs is also seen near geosynchronous orbit altitude and examples show the relationship between the various instrumental definitions of substorm onset. The implied mode number (30 to 135) derived from this work is inconsistent with cavity mode resonances but is consistent with a modified flute/ballooning instability which requires azimuthal pressure gradients. It is suggested that this instability exists in growth phase but that an additional factor exists in the premidnight sector which results in an explosive onset. The extended source region and the distance to the open‐closed field line region constrain reconnection theory and local mechanisms for substorm onset. It is demonstrated that multiple onset substorms can exist for which localized dipolarizations and the Pi 2 occur simultaneously with tail stretching existing elsewhere. Further, the tail can be less stretched at geosynchronous orbit during the optical auroral onset than during the precursor pseudobreakups. These pseudobreakups can be initiated by auroral streamers which originate at the most poleward set of arc systems and drift to the more equatorward main UV oval. Observations are presented of these AAFs in conjunction with low‐ and high‐altitude particle and magnetic field data. These place the activations at the interface between dipolar and taillike field lines probably near the peak in the cross‐tail current. These onsets are put in the context of a new scenario for substorm morphology which employs individual modules which operate independently or couple together. This allows particular substorm events to be more accurately described and investigated.