Super-Alfvelnic Propagation of Substorm Reconnection Signatures and Poynting Flux

The propagation of reconnection signatures and their associated energy are examined using kinetic particle-in-cell simulations and Cluster satellite observations. It is found that the quadrupolar out-of-plane magnetic field near the separatrices is associated with a kinetic Alfven wave. For magnetotail parameters, the parallel propagation of this wave is super-Alfvenic (V-parallel to similar to 1500-5500 km/s) and generates substantial Poynting flux (S similar to 10(-5)-10 (-4) W/m(2)) consistent with Cluster observations of magnetic reconnection. This Poynting flux substantially exceeds that due to frozen-in ion bulk outflows and is sufficient to generate white light aurora in Earth's ionosphere.