BARREL 4E: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns 2013-2016

Four campaigns from 2013 to 2016 collected over 50 stratospheric balloon flights measuring relativistic electron precipitation. The BARREL mission, a NASA Living with a Star Mission of Opportunity, carried X-ray spectrometers to detect bremsstrahlung X-rays from 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV with 50 ms resolution. Observations were made from Antarctic and Arctic launch sites to augment the Van Allen Probes mission.

Use Cases

• Study spatial and temporal variations of electron precipitation based on multi-channel X-ray spectra.
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on balloon array measurements.
• Correlate balloon-based X-ray data with in-situ plasma wave and particle measurements from the Van Allen Probes.
• Analyze ULF-timescale magnetic field variations based on concurrent DC magnetometer data mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• Provides six channels of fast time resolution data at 50 ms.
• Covers a nominal energy range from 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV.
• Data collected from over 50 balloon flights across four campaigns.
• Coordinated with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground/space instruments.

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

Measured by X-ray spectrometers and DC magnetometers carried on stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

2013 to 2016

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 13 11:37:39.037303; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Antarctic (Halley Bay, SANAE IV) and Arctic (Esrange Space Center, Kiruna, Sweden) regions.