BARREL: Balloon Measurements of Electron Precipitation from Radiation Belts

Antarctic and Arctic stratospheric balloon campaigns collected diagnostic rate counter data for electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts. The BARREL mission launched over 50 balloons across campaigns in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 from stations in Antarctica and Sweden. NASA's BARREL project provided measurements to augment the Van Allen Probes mission.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial and temporal variations of electron precipitation based on balloon-borne X-ray spectrometer measurements.
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on the diagnostic rate count data.
• Study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts based on coordinated measurements with ground and space-based instruments.
• Model ULF-timescale magnetic field variations based on DC magnetometer data mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• Data spans four distinct balloon campaigns from 2013 to 2016.
• Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched, providing multiple measurement points.
• Coordinated measurements with the Van Allen Probes mission and other instruments.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Rate count data are diagnostic fields with uncalibrated energy ranges and wrap near or above 16384 counts/s.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measurements from rate counters on BARREL balloon payloads.

Time Range

Campaigns conducted in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:32:58.468198; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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