Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufmed43c0941v&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #ED43C-0941
Physics
0805 Elementary And Secondary Education, 0850 Geoscience Education Research, 0933 Remote Sensing, 5464 Remote Sensing, 6225 Mars
Scientific paper
The Martian landscape was studied using infrared data provided by the OMEGA sensor on Mars Express for a portion of Terra Meridiani (orbit 485). The OMEGA infrared (IR) spectral properties of surface mineral composition were compared to lab IR spectral data of rocks and minerals believed to be found on Mars. Spectral plots (Selection Graphs), cluster analysis, and false-color images were analyzed using NASA's freeware software MultiSpec to process the OMEGA data. By examining and comparing the two sets of IR spectral data from OMEGA (MultiSpec) and the lab samples using VIRIS (Visible Infrared Intelligent Spectroradiometer) data, and by reviewing the literature, conclusions were drawn regarding the types of minerals present on this part of Mars. Some minerals (e.g. calcites and sulfates) found on Mars are known to exhibit IR spectral properties indicative of water (absorptions at 1.43 and 1.90μm). Our analysis of the OMEGA data identified such water-absorption features, a strong indication of the presence of hydrated minerals and possibly clays. Some mineral spectral properties identified by the VIRIS are inconclusive when compared with the OMEGA data and their presence on Mars is not verified. After performing a 10-class clustering/unsupervised classification, different areas of Terra Meridiani were identified, such as cratered terrain covered with Basalt (and some associated minerals) and low-lying plains bearing hydrated or poly-hydrated minerals. This research supports the view that liquid water was once present on Mars.
Rock B.
Smith Walter C.
Vaillancourt M.
Wright-Eaton S.
No associations
LandOfFree
A Spectral Analysis of Mars Surface Minerology does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with A Spectral Analysis of Mars Surface Minerology, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and A Spectral Analysis of Mars Surface Minerology will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-963577