BARREL 4A: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns, 32-Second Resolution

256 channels of slow time resolution (32 seconds) Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra detected with a NaI Scintillator, covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 10 MeV. The data was collected by the BARREL mission, a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, involving over 50 stratospheric balloon flights launched from Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016. The mission was designed to study electron precipitation from Earth's Radiation Belts in coordination with the Van Allen Probes and other instruments.

Use Cases

• Study spatial and temporal variations of electron precipitation from the radiation belts based on X-ray spectrometer data.
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on balloon array measurements.
• Correlate balloon-based X-ray observations with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes mission.
• Analyze ULF-timescale magnetic field variations in conjunction with X-ray spectra using the onboard DC magnetometer.

Strengths

• Data covers four campaigns from 2013 to 2016 with over 50 balloon flights, providing multi-year temporal coverage.
• Spectra are measured across 256 channels covering a nominal energy range from 0 MeV to 10 MeV.
• Observations were coordinated with comprehensive in-situ measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission.

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 statistical analysis.

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 12:01:06.145858; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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