Simultaneous Observation of a Localized dB/dt Event and Magnetospheric
Fast Flow Burst During a Magnetotail Reconnection Event Detected by the
THEMIS Spacecraft
Abstract
On 20 December 2015, three THEMIS spacecrafts detected a nightside
magnetotail reconnection event at about 04:36 UT. The spacecrafts (P5,
P4, and P3) had their footprints located over North America in the near
vicinity of the Gillam ground magnetometer station in Canada. Multipoint
observations, both in space and from the ground, allow for an
examination of the spatiotemporal characteristics of the disturbance on
the ground and the associated physical drivers in the magnetosphere and
ionosphere. This study shows that the geomagnetic field dB/dt
localization observed at Gillam ground magnetometer site was caused by
an isolated substorm onset near that location driven by a nightside
magnetotail reconnection event detected by three THEMIS spacecrafts that
were located near the central plasma sheet. This event represents the
first observation of ground dB/dt localization that is directly linked
to nightside magnetotail fast flow bursts and reconnection event.