This paper reports the spectroscopic analysis in volume discharge arrangement of a dielectric barrier discharge source in parallel plate geometry of a width of 2 mm. Helium is used as a working gas. The investigations are carried out using sinusoidal supply for the generation of discharges where two current pulses have been observed with different polarities in one period. The electron plasma density and temperature during the discharge have been estimated using the line-ratio technique from the observed visible neutral helium lines. To validate the results, a commercial particle-in-cell simulation code, OOPIC-Pro, has been used, which confirms filamentary as well as diffused discharges observed in the experiment. This code analysis also validates the estimated electron plasma density and temperature measurements at two different working pressures and at a fixed operating frequency. © 2012 IEEE.