Poynting flux impulses and the ionospheric switching of geomagnetic substorms

Observations were made of impulse events in Poynting flux calculated from electric and magnetic disturbances encountered by the Polar satellite when on high-latitude field-lines in the magnetotail. These were found to be coincident within±6 min with impulsive spikes in cosmic radio background absorption in the D region of the ionosphere as detected by the Imaging Riometer for Ionospheric Studies riometer in Finland. They were also coincident with substorm onset at the same geomagnetic latitude as determined by a change of gradient in International Monitor for Auroral Geomagnetic Effects’ X-component magnetograms. The interpretation of the observations was that magnetospheric compression waves from the geomagnetic equator region of the magnetotail were coupling to progressively initiate field-guided Alfvén shear waves towards higher geomagnetic latitudes over a large volume of the magnetosphere. The study suggested that they were then able either directly or indirectly to ionise the D region of the ionosphere and in the process to cut deep electrically conducting channels between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere through which currents could flow and initiate the characteristic signature of geomagnetic substorms in ground magnetograms.