BARREL 4H: Fast Time Resolution Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra

Data from 2013 to 2016 campaigns in Antarctica and Sweden, measuring bremsstrahlung X-rays from precipitating electrons. The BARREL mission, a NASA Living with a Star project, launched over 50 stratospheric balloons carrying X-ray spectrometers to study electron losses from Earth's Radiation Belts. Observations were coordinated with the Van Allen Probes mission and other ground-based instruments.

Use Cases

• Analyze electron precipitation events based on six-channel fast time resolution X-ray spectra
• Study spatial and temporal variations of electron losses from radiation belts based on balloon constellation data
• Characterize the spatial scale of precipitation at relativistic energies based on multi-balloon measurements
• Correlate precipitation events with in-situ plasma wave and particle measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission

Strengths

• Fast time resolution of 50 milliseconds per measurement
• Six spectral channels covering an energy range from 0 MeV to 1.5 MeV
• Data collected from over 50 balloon launches across four campaigns

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 carried on stratospheric balloons.

Time Range

2013-2016

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:31:47.934277; freshness should be verified

Geography

Antarctica (Halley Bay, SANAE IV) and Kiruna, Sweden