BARREL 1N: Balloon Ephemeris Coordinates for Radiation Belt Studies

Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched across four campaigns from 2013 to 2016. The BARREL mission, a NASA Living with a Star investigation, collected 4-second interval ephemeris data including geographic and magnetic coordinates to study electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts. Observations were made from Antarctic and Swedish launch sites at altitudes near 30 km.

Use Cases

• Analyze electron precipitation patterns based on balloon-derived magnetic coordinates.
• Correlate stratospheric X-ray measurements with in-situ satellite data based on the coordinated Van Allen Probes mission.
• Study spatial scales of relativistic electron precipitation based on the balloon array spread across magnetic local time.
• Model magnetic field variations based on the onboard DC magnetometer measurements mentioned in the description.
• Validate radiation belt environment models based on derived magnetic coordinates from the IRBEM library.

Strengths

• Data collected at a high temporal resolution of 4 seconds.
• Coordinates derived from onboard GPS and the IRBEM library, suggesting a multi-source validation.
• Campaigns coordinated with other ground and space-based instruments like EISCAT radar.

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 Swedish launch sites.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Data returned from balloon payloads every 4 seconds, with magnetic coordinates derived using the IRBEM FORTRAN library.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 04:17:54.342222; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Launch sites in Antarctica (Halley Bay, SANAE IV) and Kiruna, Sweden.