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Longitudinal expansion of brightening of the substorm onset arc likely represents longitudinal expansion of the substorm onset instability. We used Poker Flat radar campaign auroral observations to identify seven substorm onsets seen east or west of the radar that expanded into the radar field‐of‐view. The radar observations were used to show flows relative to the expanding onset aurora. Flow enhancements were found equatorward (poleward) of the westward (eastward) longitudinal expansion of the onset arc brightening that agree with plasma sheet bubble modeling. This lends significant additional supporting evidence that an incoming reduced entropy flow channel leads to onset. As a flow channel enters the auroral oval (plasma sheet) from the polar cap (magnetotail lobes) and starts to move equatorward (earthward in the plasma sheet) as a bubble, it simultaneously expands azimuthally due to the combination of electric drift along dawnward tilted equipotentials and westward magnetic drift of more energetic ions. As the azimuthally expanding bubble reaches near the equatorward boundary of the electron auroral oval, it leads to the onset instability indicated by the auroral beading and associated flows if conditions are appropriate. The instability grows in the initial onset region, as it simultaneously extends longitudinally with the continued azimuthal expansion of the bubble within the plasma sheet. Additionally, after onset, the auroral bulge expands poleward and can lead to a westward traveling surge. We observe strong flows heading toward the front of the surge that appear to bring low entropy plasma, perhaps from the polar cap, into the surge.Key Points: Longitudinal expansion of brightening of the substorm onset arc likely represents longitudinal expansion of the substorm onset instabilityRadar flow enhancements with auroral onset longitudinal expansion agree with instability due to longitudinal expansion of intruding bubbleWestward traveling surge associated with separate flow channel bringing new plasma to field lines head of expansion phase auroral bulge [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 40 years after the discovery of the substorm, auroral observations were used to propose that substorm onset was triggered in the inner plasmas sheet (equatorward portion of the auroral oval) by an intrusion of the low entropy plasma by plasma sheet flow channels. Longitudinal localization makes such flow channels difficult to observe with sparse spacecraft, but they can be seen in the ionosphere via the broader, two‐dimensional coverage by ground‐based radars. We have analyzed all eight substorm auroral onset events with appropriate auroral and Poker Flat radar viewing during a radar campaign. These, together with five previously analyzed events provide evidence that intruding flow channels play an important role in substorm onsets. That the flux tube integrated entropy of this new plasma must be lower than that of the surrounding plasma implies that the change in the entropy distribution within the plasma sheet gives rises to the substorm onset instability that is seen via the growing auroral and electromagnetic waves seen with substorm auroral onset. Our analysis also adds to previous evidence that the flow channels leading to onset move into the plasma sheet/auroral oval from the open polar cap region of the magnetotail lobes/polar caps, that these flow channels move across the polar cap following their origin near the dayside boundary of the polar cap, and that substantial ground magnetic depressions associated with substorm do not occur with substorm onset but instead occur a few to several minutes later in association with expansion phase streamers.Key Points: Substorm onsets with appropriate auroral and radar viewing provide further evidence that intruding flow channels lead to substorm onsetsThe reduced entropy of intruding plasma indicates change in plasma sheet entropy distribution gives rises to the substorm onset instabilityFurther evidence that flow channels leading to onset move into the plasma sheet/auroral oval from the polar cap, open‐field‐line region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]