BARREL 1R Magnetometer: Magnetic Field Data from Stratospheric Balloons

Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched across four campaigns from 2013 to 2016, collecting three-axis DC magnetometer data. The BARREL Mission, a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, measured ULF-timescale magnetic field variations to study electron precipitation from Earth's Radiation Belts. Data were collected from launch sites in Antarctica (Halley Bay, SANAE IV) and Sweden (Esrange Space Center) at altitudes around 30 km.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ULF-timescale magnetic field variations based on three-axis DC magnetometer measurements
• Studying spatial and temporal scales of relativistic electron precipitation based on balloon constellation data
• Correlating balloon-based magnetic field data with in-situ plasma wave and particle measurements from satellite missions
• Characterizing precipitation events at relativistic energies based on coordinated campaign observations

Strengths

• Data collected from over 50 balloon flights across four campaigns from 2013 to 2016
• Coordinated measurements with multiple satellite missions and ground-based instruments like EISCAT
• Provides balloon-based magnetic field measurements in the stratosphere (~30 km altitude)

Limitations

• Data are neither gain corrected nor despun, requiring additional processing for certain analyses
• 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

Data collected by DC magnetometers carried on BARREL stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 04:12:34.504610; freshness should be verified

Geography

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