BARREL 2M: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Stratospheric Balloons

BARREL 2M X-ray Spectrometer (SSPC) Level 2 data provides 256-channel, 32-second resolution spectra of Bremsstrahlung X-rays from precipitating electrons. The dataset was produced by NASA's BARREL mission, which launched over 50 stratospheric balloons from Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016. It was designed to study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts in coordination with the Van Allen Probes mission.

Use Cases

• Analyze relativistic electron precipitation patterns based on 256-channel X-ray spectra
• Study spatial and temporal variations in electron losses from the radiation belts based on balloon array measurements
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on multi-balloon campaign data
• Correlate precipitation events with in-situ plasma wave and particle measurements from the Van Allen Probes

Strengths

• 256 spectral channels covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 10 MeV
• Data collected from over 50 stratospheric balloon launches across four campaigns
• Coordinated measurements with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground-based 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

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:45:38.849761; freshness should be verified

Geography

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