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

The BARREL 2P dataset provides six channels of fast time resolution (50 ms) Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra, covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV. It was collected by NASA's BARREL mission, which launched over 50 stratospheric balloons from Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016 to study electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts. The data was designed to augment measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal variations in electron precipitation based on the 50 ms time resolution X-ray spectra.
• Study spatial scales of relativistic energy precipitation based on the multi-balloon array deployment described.
• Correlate balloon-based X-ray measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes.
• Model Bremsstrahlung X-ray production in the atmosphere based on the six-channel energy spectra.

Strengths

• Provides 50 ms time resolution across six spectral channels (FSPC1a, FSPC1b, FSPC1c, FSPC2, FSPC3, FSPC4).
• Data collection involved over 50 balloon launches across four campaigns from 2013 to 2016.
• Designed for coordinated analysis with the comprehensive Van Allen Probes mission measurements.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale ML tasks.

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 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 12:54:17.751463; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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