Reflectance spectra of evaporite minerals (400-2500 nm): applications for remote sensing

Abstract

Abstract The spectral response of evaporite minerals is evaluated to determine those minerals that can be identified and mapped by remote sensing. The vast majority of evaporite minerals have diagnostic spectra due to the vibration of H2O, CO3, HCO3, NH4, NO3 bonds. Only the anhydrous Cl and SO4 salts do not contain any diagnostic features and cannot be distinguished from each other. Many of the hydrous salts exhibit unusual spectral behaviour. Large grain size samples exhibit numerous well developed absorption features at wavelengths < 1600 nm, however, smaller grain sizes exhibit fewer less well developed features in this region and more numerous well developed features at wavelengths > 1500 nm. The spectral diversity exhibited by evaporite minerals suggests numerous applications in spectroscopy and remote sensing can be realized. These applications are investigated.