BARREL 4G XSPC: 30-Channel Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns

Antarctic and Arctic stratospheric balloon campaigns collected 30-channel Bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra with 50-millisecond time resolution. The BARREL mission, a NASA Living with a Star project, launched over 50 small stratospheric balloons from Halley Bay and SANAE IV bases in Antarctica (2013-2014) and Esrange Space Center in Sweden (2015-2016). Data were designed to study relativistic electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts in coordination with the Van Allen Probes mission.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal variations in electron precipitation based on 50-millisecond time resolution X-ray spectra.
• Characterize the spatial scale of relativistic energy precipitation based on multi-balloon constellation data.
• Correlate balloon-based X-ray measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes.
• Study magnetic local time (MLT) dependencies of precipitation using data from balloons spread across six hours of MLT.

Strengths

• Provides 30 channels of spectral data with fast 50-millisecond time resolution.
• Data collection spans four campaigns from 2013 to 2016 with over 50 balloon launches.
• Campaigns were coordinated with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground/space-based instruments like EISCAT.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Measurement altitude is not filtered in this product and must be checked in a separate EPHM file.
• 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

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 11:26:21.748094; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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