BARREL 1R X-ray Spectrometer: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra at 0.05-Second Resolution

BARREL 1R X-ray Spectrometer Level 2 data provides four channels of fast time resolution (50 ms) Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra from 0 to 1.5 MeV. The dataset was produced by NASA's BARREL mission, which launched over 50 stratospheric balloons from Antarctica (2013-2014) and Sweden (2015-2016) to study electron losses from Earth's radiation belts. Observations were collected at altitudes near 30 km to augment measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal variations in electron precipitation based on the 50-millisecond time resolution X-ray spectra.
• Characterizing the spatial scale of relativistic electron precipitation based on multi-balloon constellation data.
• Correlating balloon-based X-ray measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes.
• Studying the energy spectrum of precipitating electrons based on the four-channel data covering 0-1.5 MeV.

Strengths

• Provides four-channel spectral data with a fast 50-millisecond time resolution.
• Data collection coordinated with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground/space instruments.
• Over 50 balloon flights were conducted across four campaigns, providing multiple observational points.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data files are in specialized formats (BIN, PDF, TEXT, HTML), which may require specific tools for analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measured by X-ray spectrometers and DC magnetometers carried on stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

Balloon campaigns conducted in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 13:57:35.420419; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Launch sites in Antarctica (Halley Bay, SANAE IV) and Kiruna, Sweden; observations near Arctic/Antarctic circles.