BARREL 2C: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Radiation Belt Balloons

BARREL 2C X-ray Spectrometer data provides 256-channel, 32-second resolution spectra of Bremsstrahlung X-rays from precipitating electrons. NASA's BARREL mission launched over 50 stratospheric balloons from Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016 to study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts. The data was collected to augment the Van Allen Probes mission and characterize relativistic electron precipitation.

Use Cases

• Analyze electron precipitation events based on Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra
• Study spatial and temporal variations of radiation belt losses based on balloon constellation data
• Correlate precipitation measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data mentioned in the description
• Characterize the spatial scale of relativistic energy precipitation based on balloon array observations

Strengths

• 256 energy channels covering a nominal range from 0 MeV to 10 MeV
• Data collected from over 50 stratospheric balloon flights across four campaigns
• Coordinated measurements with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground/space instruments

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 and DC magnetometers carried on stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:58:24.573042; freshness should be verified

Geography

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