BARREL 1J: Fast-Resolution Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns

BARREL 1J X-ray Spectrometer (FSPC) Level 2 data provides four channels of fast time resolution (50 ms) Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra from 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV. The dataset was collected by NASA's BARREL mission, a multiple-balloon investigation launched from Antarctica (2013-2014) and Sweden (2015-2016) to study electron precipitation from Earth's Radiation Belts. Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched across four campaigns, providing measurements coordinated with the Van Allen Probes mission.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal variations in electron precipitation based on 50 ms time resolution X-ray spectra
• Characterize spatial scales of precipitation events based on data from a balloon array spread across magnetic local time
• Correlate balloon-based X-ray measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes mission
• Study the energy distribution of precipitating electrons based on spectra covering 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV

Strengths

• Data has a fast time resolution of 50 milliseconds per channel
• Spectra cover a nominal energy range from 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV
• Data collection involved over 50 balloon launches across four campaigns from 2013 to 2016
• Measurements were coordinated with comprehensive in-situ measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the Antarctic and Arctic launch sites

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measured by X-ray spectrometers carried on stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 04:21:02.065214; freshness should be verified

Geography

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