Mineral Mapping Using Spectroscopy: From Field Measurements to Airborne and Satellite-Based Imaging Spectrometry

Imaging spectrometry (also known as “hyperspectral imaging” or HSI) has been used since the early 1980s to perform 2-dimensional mapping of mineral distribution based on spectroscopic characteristics. Field spectroscopy plays a critical role in the calibration, analysis, and validation of imaging spectrometer data. Imaging spectrometer datasets have been acquired around the world using airborne platforms and recent satellite systems provide spectral measurements for selected areas. The case history presented shows an example of the progression of imaging spectrometer data to its current state-of-the-art and demonstrates the link between laboratory, field, and imaging spectrometer data.