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

BARREL 3F X-ray Spectrometer data provides 256 channels of slow time resolution (32 s) Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra detected with a NaI Scintillator, covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 10 MeV. The dataset was produced by NASA's BARREL mission, which launched over 50 stratospheric balloons from Antarctica (2013-2014) and Sweden (2015-2016) to study electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts. Observations were collected near the Antarctic and Arctic circles at stratospheric altitudes of about 30 km.

Use Cases

• Study spatial and temporal variations of electron precipitation based on the balloon array design spanning magnetic local time.
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on the mission's stated scientific objective.
• Correlate balloon-based X-ray measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes mission.
• Analyze Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra across a 0-10 MeV energy range to infer properties of precipitating electrons.

Strengths

• Data is from a dedicated NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, providing authoritative measurements.
• Over 50 balloon flights were conducted across four campaigns (2013-2016), offering multiple observational periods.
• Spectra cover a nominal energy range of 0 MeV to 10 MeV across 256 channels.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset size are 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

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 12:07:03.680388; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Observations from launches in Antarctica (Halley Bay, SANAE IV) and Kiruna, Sweden.