BARREL 4C: Fast-Resolution Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns

Six channels of fast time resolution (50 ms) Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra from the BARREL balloon mission, covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV. The dataset was produced by NASA to study electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts, with campaigns conducted from Antarctica in 2013-2014 and from Sweden in 2015-2016. Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched across the four campaigns to provide spatial and temporal measurements of relativistic electron precipitation.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal variations in electron precipitation based on the 50 ms time resolution X-ray spectra.
• Characterizing the spatial scale of relativistic electron precipitation based on multi-balloon constellation data.
• Correlating balloon-based X-ray measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes.
• Studying the energy spectrum of precipitating electrons based on the six-channel data covering 0-1.5 MeV.

Strengths

• Provides data from over 50 balloon flights across four campaigns, offering substantial observational coverage.
• Features six distinct spectral channels (FSPC1a, FSPC1b, FSPC1c, FSPC2, FSPC3, FSPC4) with fast 50 ms time resolution.
• Data was collected in coordination with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground/space-based instruments, enabling multi-instrument studies.

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 January-February 2013, 2014, August 2015, and August 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 11:51:42.411358; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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