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One of the end products of the Spectroscopy Lab's research is materials maps. The new field of imaging spectroscopy allows specific absorption features, caused by chemical bonds in materials, to be mapped spatially. Materials maps are of minerals, mineral mixtures, vegetation (including species/communities and vegetation communities maps), water, ice and snow, atmospheric gases, environmental materials, and man-made materials.

cuprite icon 221K GIF The map shown here is a mineral map from an AVIRIS scene flown over Cuprite, Nevada, in 1995. It shows the mapping of many different minerals.


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Introduction to Imaging Spectroscopy Results

This tutorial shows pseudo true color, false color mineral discrimination (as is commonly done with Landsat TM broadband imagers), and results from imaging spectroscopy analysis, all using data over the dual hydrothermal system at Cuprite Nevada. The latest 1995 AVIRIS data are used in the mineral mapping.

Evolution in Imaging Spectroscopy Analysis and Sensor Signal-to-Noise: An Examination of How Far We Have Come

A presentation of how far imaging spectroscopy sensors and analysis has brought us. We are now able to map very specific materials through absorptions caused by chemical bonds. Imagine the ability to "see" individual chemicals, whether crystalline or amorphous solids, liquids, or gases. Imaging spectroscopy science is now a powerful tool!

Other papers on Cuprite

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Environmental Applications

Using Imaging Spectroscopy to Map Acidic Mine Waste

This paper studies the link between mineralogy and leachable metals into stream water at a mine site in Leadville, Colorado. Imaging spectroscopy can be used to rapidly screen entire mining districts for potential sources of surface acid drainage, and to detect acid producing minerals in mine waste or unmined rock outcrops.

Summitville Fe Map

Summitville Mine Mapping mine drainage at Summitville, Colorado. Imaging spectroscopy is used to map clays, sulfates, iron oxides, amorphous iron-bearing minerals and more.


Animas Watershed analysis, San Juan Mountains, Colorado

Distribution of Acid-Generating and Acid-Buffering Minerals in the Animas River Watershed as Determined by Imaging Spectroscopy (January, 2000).

Leadville: California Gulch Superfund Site

Mapping sources of acid mine drainage at California Gulch Superfund Site, Colorado. Imaging spectroscopy is used to map iron-bearing minerals--the next level after the Summitville study above.

Ray Mine

Mapping minerals at the Ray Mine and area around the mine. Nov 18, 1998

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Vegetation and Biota Mapping Applications

vegetation species map Vegetation Species and Senescence/Stress Indicator Mapping

This paper shows vegetation species mapping done in the San Luis Valley, Colorado. Also shown is senescence/stress indicator mapping in the same area.

Vegetation and Cryptobiotic Soils Mapping in Arid Regions

Mapping the Biology and Mineralogy of Yellowstone National Park Using Imaging Spectroscopy

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Lithologic and Mineral Mapping

Preliminary Materials Mapping in the Park City Region for the Utah USGS-EPA Imaging Spectroscopy Project using both high and low altitude AVIRIS data

The Park City mining district is situated near the intersection of the north-trending Wasatch Range and the west-trending Uinta arch. The area includes an epigenetic polymetallic deposit formed at high temperatures, and imaging spectroscopy is being used to map associated surficial mineralogy.

Preliminary materials mapping in the Oquirrh Mountains region for the Utah EPA Project using AVIRIS data

Mapping of surficial minerals in the Oquirrh Mountains, a region including gold, silver and mercury mining, shows some of the utilities of imaging spectroscopy.

Arches map Mapping the Mineralogy and Lithology of Canyonlands, Utah with Imaging Spectrometer Data and the Multiple Spectral Feature Mapping Algorithm

This paper shows how imaging spectroscopy mineral mapping can be used to map lithology, which closely follows geologic formations.

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Geometry of Spatial Maps

geometry icon Geometric Corrections to AVIRIS data

This paper gives the equations necessary to correct AVIRIS data before you register it to a base map. (Nov. 18, 1998)

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This page URL= http://speclab.cr.usgs.gov/maps.html
This page is maintained by: Dr. Roger N. Clark rclark@usgs.gov
Last modified June 9, 2000.