Surface Mineralogy using Thermal InfraRed Spectroscopy Data from ECOSTRESS and ASTER

Mapping and managing Earth’s mineral resourcesdemands advanced techniques for characterizing surface composition,a challenge that can be effectively addressed by spaceborneEarth observation. Thermal infrared (TIR) sensors hosted onorbital platforms provide a powerful tool for regional scale(∼1000s km2), high-resolution (≤100m) identification of mineralcomposition and surface thermal properties. In this study, wedemonstrate the potential of multispectral TIR image dataacquired by the ECOSTRESS and ASTER spaceborne sensorswith near-global coverage to produce the first mineral maps ofthe Earth’s arid and semi-arid regions. TIR data complementVisible to ShortWave InfraRed (VSWIR) data because mostimportant rock forming minerals do not have features in theVSWIR. Thus, integrating TIR-derived mineralogy is essential tocomprehensively map the surface composition and interpret thegeology. The mapping results were validated at three sites—theAlgodones Dunes (quartz), White Sands Dunes (gypsum), andMehdi Ridge (calcite)—showing strong spatial and abundanceagreement with laboratory data from field samples and referenceliterature. These results confirm the reliability of high spatialresolution multispectral TIR data in capturing major surfacemineral distributions.