BARREL 2F MSPC: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Stratospheric Balloons

48 channels of medium time resolution, 4 s, Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra detected with a NaI Scintillator, covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 4 MeV. The BARREL Mission was a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, launching over 50 stratospheric balloons from Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016 to study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts. Observations were collected near latitudes close to the antarctic and arctic circles at stratospheric altitudes of about 30 km.

Use Cases

• Analyze electron precipitation events based on bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra.
• Study spatial and temporal variations of electron losses from the radiation belts based on balloon constellation data.
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on X-ray measurements.
• Correlate precipitation events with in-situ plasma wave and particle measurements from the Van Allen Probes.

Strengths

• Data covers an energy range from 0 MeV to 4 MeV across 48 channels.
• Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched across four campaigns spanning 2013 to 2016.
• Observations were coordinated with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground and space-based instruments.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• File formats include BIN and PDF, which may require specialized tools for analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measured by X-ray spectrometers carried on stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:54:56.018129; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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