BARREL 1C: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Stratospheric Balloons

256-channel X-ray spectrometer data collected by the BARREL mission's stratospheric balloons. The mission, a NASA Living with a Star project, launched over 50 balloons from Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016 to study relativistic electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts. Spectra cover an energy range from 0 MeV to 10 MeV with a 32-second time resolution.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal variations in electron precipitation based on 32-second resolution X-ray spectra
• Characterizing the spatial scale of relativistic electron precipitation based on balloon array observations
• Correlating balloon-measured bremsstrahlung X-rays with in-situ plasma wave and particle data
• Studying radiation belt electron losses using coordinated balloon and ground-based instrument campaigns

Strengths

• Data spans four campaigns from 2013 to 2016, providing multi-year coverage
• Over 50 balloon launches provide spatial distribution across magnetic local time
• 256 energy channels offer detailed spectral resolution from 0 MeV to 10 MeV

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measured by X-ray spectrometers and DC magnetometers carried on stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

Campaigns conducted in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 04:27:44.385889; freshness should be verified

Geography

Balloon launches from Halley Bay, Antarctica; SANAE IV base, Antarctica; and Esrange Space Center, Kiruna, Sweden.