SPONTANEOUS SUBSTORM ONSET DURING A PROLONGED PERIOD OF STEADY, SOUTHWARD INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC-FIELD

We document a clear case of spontaneous substorm onset under condition s of steady southward interplanetary magnetic field on January 22, 199 3. The substorm occurred at 0415 UT with an intensification at 0455 UT during an interval of convection bay activity but had most of the fea tures associated with substorms. These features include high-latitude and midlatitude magnetic bays at ground magnetometers, and magnetic fi eld compression and energetic particle injection at geosynchronous alt itude. In addition, a plasmoid release was observed in the distant tai l plasma sheet by the Geotail spacecraft ata GSM position (-96, 1, -6) R(E). We conclude that spontaneous-onset substorms occur occasionally even during steady convection bay events. Such substorms and ''classi cal'' substorms progress in a very similar manner, Irrespective of pos sible differences in their onset mechanism.