BARREL 2K: Fast Time Resolution Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns

Antarctic and Arctic stratospheric balloon campaigns collected fast time resolution Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra to study electron precipitation from Earth's Radiation Belts. The BARREL mission, a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, launched over 50 small balloons from stations in Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016. Data includes six channels (FSPC1a-FSPC4) with a nominal energy range from 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV, providing measurements at 50 ms resolution.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal variations in electron precipitation based on 50 ms time resolution X-ray spectra.
• Characterizing spatial scales of relativistic electron precipitation based on balloon array measurements across magnetic local time.
• Correlating balloon-based bremsstrahlung X-ray measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes mission.
• Studying the relationship between ULF-timescale magnetic field variations and electron precipitation using concurrent magnetometer data.

Strengths

• Provides measurements at a fast 50 ms time resolution across six spectral channels.
• Data collected from over 50 stratospheric balloon flights across four campaigns spanning 2013 to 2016.
• Campaigns 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.
• 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

Campaigns conducted in January-February 2013, 2014, and August 2015, 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:50:59.545088; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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