BARREL MSPC: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns

BARREL balloon campaigns collected X-ray spectra from Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016. The data consists of 48 channels of medium time resolution, 4-second Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra detected with a NaI scintillator, covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 4 MeV. This dataset was produced by NASA as part of the Living with a Star program to study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts.

Use Cases

• Study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts based on Bremsstrahlung X-ray measurements
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on balloon array observations
• Correlate precipitation events with in-situ plasma wave and particle measurements from the Van Allen Probes
• Analyze temporal variations of electron precipitation based on 4-second time resolution spectra

Strengths

• Data collected from over 50 stratospheric balloon launches across four campaigns
• Provides the first balloon measurements of relativistic electron precipitation alongside comprehensive in-situ measurements
• 48-channel spectrometer covers a nominal energy range from 0 MeV to 4 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 carried on stratospheric balloons launched from Antarctica and Sweden.

Time Range

Campaigns conducted in January-February 2013, 2014, and August 2015, 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 04:13:42.473377; freshness should be verified

Geography

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