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

48 channels of medium time resolution, 4-second Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra detected with a NaI scintillator, covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 4 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 losses from Earth's Radiation Belts. Observations were collected near latitudes close to the Antarctic and Arctic circles at stratospheric altitudes of about 30 km.

Use Cases

• Study electron precipitation from Earth's Radiation Belts based on bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on balloon array observations
• Analyze temporal variations of electron precipitation based on 4-second time resolution data
• Coordinate multi-instrument studies based on campaigns undertaken with the Van Allen Probes and EISCAT radar

Strengths

• Data collected from over 50 stratospheric balloon launches across four campaigns
• 48-channel spectra provide a nominal energy range from 0 MeV to 4 MeV
• Campaigns were coordinated with comprehensive in situ measurements of plasma waves and energetic particles

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

Balloon-borne X-ray spectrometer measurements

Time Range

Campaigns conducted in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:33:18.830509; freshness should be verified

Geography

Launches from Halley Bay and SANAE IV base in Antarctica, and Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden