BARREL SSPC: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns

Antarctic and Arctic stratospheric balloon campaigns collected 256-channel X-ray spectra from 2013 to 2016. The BARREL mission, a NASA Living with a Star project, measured bremsstrahlung X-rays from precipitating relativistic electrons to study losses from Earth's Radiation Belts. Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched from bases in Antarctica and Sweden.

Use Cases

• Characterize spatial scales of relativistic electron precipitation based on balloon array measurements.
• Study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts based on coordinated measurements with the Van Allen Probes.
• Analyze temporal variations of electron precipitation based on 32-second time resolution spectra.
• Correlate X-ray spectra with magnetic field variations based on concurrent DC magnetometer data.

Strengths

• 256-channel spectra covering a nominal 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/space 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

2013 to 2016

Geography

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