BARREL 3E: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns, 32-Second Resolution

256 channels of slow time resolution, 32-second Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra detected with a NaI scintillator, covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 10 MeV. The BARREL mission, a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, launched over 50 stratospheric balloons from Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016 to study electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts. This data was collected to provide the first balloon measurements of relativistic electron precipitation coordinated with in-situ satellite observations.

Use Cases

• Modeling relativistic electron precipitation from radiation belts based on bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra.
• Analyzing spatial and temporal variations in electron precipitation based on multi-balloon constellation data.
• Correlating balloon-based X-ray measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes.
• Characterizing the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on the balloon array observations.

Strengths

• Data covers a nominal energy range from 0 MeV to 10 MeV across 256 spectral channels.
• Over 50 balloon flights were conducted across four campaigns from 2013 to 2016.
• Observations were coordinated with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground/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.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measured by X-ray spectrometers carried on stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

Balloon campaigns conducted in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 12:09:31.671314; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Launches from Halley Bay and SANAE IV bases in Antarctica, and the Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden.