BARREL 2I Magnetometer Data: Tri-axial Magnetic Field Measurements from Balloon Campaigns

Over 50 stratospheric balloon flights were conducted during four campaigns from 2013 to 2016, launching from Antarctica and Sweden. This dataset provides 0.25-second tri-axial fluxgate magnetometer measurements, without gain correction or despinning, collected by NASA's BARREL mission to study electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts. The data was collected in coordination with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground and space-based instruments.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ULF-timescale magnetic field variations based on tri-axial DC magnetometer measurements.
• Studying spatial and temporal scales of relativistic electron precipitation based on coordinated balloon and satellite observations.
• Characterizing magnetic field perturbations in the stratosphere based on data collected near the Arctic and Antarctic circles.
• Correlating balloon-based magnetic field data with in-situ plasma wave and particle measurements from the Van Allen Probes.

Strengths

• Data from over 50 balloon flights across four campaigns provides multiple observational periods.
• Coordinated measurements with the Van Allen Probes mission and other instruments enable multi-point analysis.
• High temporal resolution of 0.25 seconds is suitable for studying ULF-scale phenomena.

Limitations

• Data is not gain-corrected or despun, which may require 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

Measurements from tri-axial DC magnetometers carried on approximately 20 kg stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 13:15:44.947180; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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