BARREL 4H Rate Counter: Balloon-Based Radiation Belt Electron Precipitation, 4 s Data

Antarctic and Arctic stratospheric balloon campaigns from 2013 to 2016 collected this data. The dataset contains 4-second accumulations of uncalibrated rate counter measurements from NaI scintillators, designed to study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts. Over 50 small stratospheric balloons were launched by NASA as part of the BARREL mission, coordinated with the Van Allen Probes.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal variations in electron precipitation based on 4-second rate count accumulations.
• Study spatial scales of relativistic electron precipitation based on balloon array measurements across magnetic local time.
• Correlate balloon-based X-ray measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from the Van Allen Probes mission.
• Characterize the energy range and count saturation of precipitation events based on diagnostic rate counter fields that wrap near 16384 counts/s.

Strengths

• Data spans four campaigns from 2013 to 2016, providing multi-year observations.
• Over 50 stratospheric balloon launches provide a constellation of measurement points.
• Measurements were coordinated with the comprehensive Van Allen Probes mission and other ground-based instruments like EISCAT.

Limitations

• Rate count data are diagnostic fields with uncalibrated energy ranges.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data values wrap near or above 16384 counts/s, which may require correction for analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measurements from rate counters on stratospheric balloons carrying X-ray spectrometers and DC magnetometers.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 11:16:46.747153; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Balloon launches from Halley Bay and SANAE IV in Antarctica (2013-2014) and Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden (2015-2016).