BARREL 4A: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns

BARREL 4A provides 30-channel Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra with 50-millisecond time resolution from stratospheric balloon campaigns. NASA's BARREL mission launched over 50 balloons from Antarctica and Sweden between 2013 and 2016 to study electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts. These Level 2 data are unfiltered by altitude, requiring users to check altitude information in separate EPHM files.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal variations in electron precipitation based on 50-millisecond time resolution spectra
• Characterize spatial scales of relativistic electron precipitation based on balloon array measurements across magnetic local time
• Correlate X-ray spectra with in-situ plasma wave and particle measurements from satellite missions
• Study magnetospheric electron losses based on Bremsstrahlung X-ray measurements from stratospheric altitudes

Strengths

• Provides 30-channel spectral data with 50-millisecond time resolution
• Data collected from over 50 balloon flights across four campaigns from 2013 to 2016
• Balloon array was designed to cover about six hours of magnetic local time for spatial analysis

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Data are not filtered by altitude; users must check altitude in separate EPHM files before use
• 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

Campaigns conducted in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:33:27.892049; freshness should be verified

Geography

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