BARREL 2F: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns, 0.05 s Resolution

Six channels of fast time resolution (50 ms) Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra, covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV, detected with NaI scintillators. The data was collected by the NASA BARREL mission's balloon-borne instruments during campaigns from 2013 to 2016, launched from Antarctica and Sweden to study electron losses from Earth's radiation belts. Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched across the four campaigns, providing measurements to augment the Van Allen Probes mission.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal variations in electron precipitation based on the 50 ms time resolution X-ray spectra.
• Characterizing the spatial scale of relativistic electron precipitation based on multi-balloon array measurements.
• 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 six-channel data covering 0-1.5 MeV.

Strengths

• Provides 50 ms time resolution across six spectral channels (FSPC1a, FSPC1b, FSPC1c, FSPC2, FSPC3, FSPC4).
• Data collected from over 50 balloon flights across four campaigns (2013-2016), offering spatial and temporal coverage.
• Designed for coordinated analysis with comprehensive in-situ measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission.

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 BIN, PDF, TEXT, and HTML formats, requiring specific tools for processing.

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 13:18:45.491168; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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