BARREL SSPC: Bremsstrahlung X-ray Spectra from Balloon Campaigns

The BARREL mission collected data from balloon campaigns conducted in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. It provides 256-channel slow time resolution (32 s) X-ray spectra from 0 MeV to 10 MeV, measured by NaI scintillators on stratospheric balloons launched from Antarctica and Sweden. The data was produced by NASA to study relativistic electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal variations in electron precipitation based on 32-second time resolution spectra.
• Characterize the spatial scale of relativistic electron precipitation based on multi-balloon array observations.
• Correlate X-ray bremsstrahlung measurements with in-situ plasma wave and particle data from other missions.
• Study magnetic local time (MLT) dependencies of precipitation using balloon constellation data spread across six hours of MLT.

Strengths

• Data spans four distinct campaigns from 2013 to 2016, providing multi-year coverage.
• Spectra cover a nominal energy range from 0 MeV to 10 MeV across 256 channels.
• Over 50 stratospheric balloons were launched across the campaigns, offering spatial sampling.
• Campaigns were 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.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to balloon launch sites in Antarctica and Sweden.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

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

Time Range

Campaigns conducted in January-February 2013, 2014, and August 2015, 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:31:09.703416; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Balloons launched from Halley Bay (Antarctica), SANAE IV base (Antarctica), and Esrange Space Center (Kiruna, Sweden).