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Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
Published on: July 1, 2019
The MARTE VNIR imaging spectrometer experiment: design and analysis
Adrian J Brown1, Brad Sutter, Stephen Dunagan
1SETI Institute, Mountain View, California., NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA. abrown@seti.org
Astrobiology
|December 25, 2008
Summary
The Mars Astrobiology Research and Technology Experiment (MARTE) used a VNIR imaging spectrometer in Spain. This study identified goethite and hematite in drill cores, advancing Mars exploration mineralogy.
Area of Science:
- Planetary Science
- Astrobiology
- Mineralogy
Background:
- The Mars Astrobiology Research and Technology Experiment (MARTE) project aimed to develop technologies for Mars exploration.
- The Río Tinto region in Spain served as an analog environment for Mars due to its unique geochemistry and mineralogy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report on the design, operation, and data analysis of the VNIR imaging spectrometer used in the MARTE project.
- To analyze mineral composition in drill cores from the Río Tinto region using advanced spectral techniques.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a hyperspectral scanning pushbroom VNIR imaging spectrometer (400-1000 nm).
- Applied a novel band modeling technique for spectral data analysis.
- Corroborated mineral identification with X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis.
Main Results:
- Predominant presence of goethite was detected in most MARTE drill cores.
- Spatially coherent areas of hematite were identified in Core 23.
- Non-Fe bearing minerals, primarily muscovite, were distinguished and confirmed via XRD.
Conclusions:
- The VNIR imaging spectrometer effectively characterized mineral composition in Martian analog environments.
- The study provides valuable mineral maps of drill cores, detailing goethite, hematite, and muscovite distribution.
- Findings contribute to understanding mineralogy relevant to astrobiology and future Mars missions.
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