BARREL: Balloon Measurements of Electron Precipitation from Radiation Belts

Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched across four campaigns from 2013 to 2016. The BARREL mission, a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, measured bremsstrahlung X-rays and magnetic field variations to study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts. Data consists of 4-second accumulations of rate counts from NaI scintillator diagnostics.

Use Cases

• Analyze electron precipitation events based on X-ray spectrometer measurements.
• Study spatial and temporal variations of relativistic electron precipitation based on balloon constellation data.
• Correlate precipitation events with in-situ plasma wave and particle measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission.
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on balloon array observations.

Strengths

• Data collected from over 50 balloon flights across four campaigns.
• Campaigns coordinated with multiple ground and space-based instruments, including the Van Allen Probes.
• Provides the first balloon measurements of relativistic electron precipitation alongside comprehensive in-situ measurements.

Limitations

• Rate count data are diagnostic fields with uncalibrated energy ranges.
• 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

Measurements from rate counters on stratospheric balloons carrying X-ray spectrometers and DC magnetometers.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 04:21:29.390516; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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