On Cupid! On, Donner and BARREL!

Dec 22, 2023

In this image from Dec. 8, 2017, four reindeer plod past the Balloon Array for Radiation-belt Relativistic Electron Lossesor BARREL, payload on the open pad at Esrange Home Heart approach Kiruna, Sweden. BARREL essentially measured X-rays in Earth’s ambiance approach the North and South Poles. These X-rays are attributable to electrons that rain down, or precipitate, into the ambiance from the huge swaths of radiation that encompass Earth, known as the Van Allen Belts. Working out this radiation and its interplay with Earth’s ambiance helps us to learn about planetary radiation belts, and to better provide protection to satellites that orbit Earth.

The key BARREL mission ended when scientists despatched their final balloon over Sweden on Aug. 30, 2016. Recovered BARREL payloads were launched as targets of opportunities on three additional flights. To boot to X-ray devices, quite rather a lot of of the BARREL balloons furthermore carried devices built by undergraduate students to measure the total electron stammer of Earth’s ionosphere, besides the low-frequency electromagnetic waves that help to scatter electrons into Earth’s ambiance.

Eye extra shots from the BARREL mission.

Image Credit score: NASA