Use of airborne imaging spectrometer data to map minerals associated with hydrothermally altered rocks in the northern grapevine mountains, Nevada, and California

Three flightlines of Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data, acquired over the northern Grapevine Mountains, Nevada, and California, were used to map minerals associated with hydrothermally altered rocks. The data were processed to remove vertical striping, normalized using an equal area normalization, and reduced to reflectance relative to an average spectrum derived from the data. An algorithm was developed to automatically calculate the absorption band parameters band position, band depth, and band width for the strongest absorption feature in each pixel. These parameters were mapped into an intensity, hue, saturation (IHS) color system to produce a single color image that summarized the absorption band information, This image was used to map areas of potential alteration based upon the predicted relationships between the color image and mineral absorption band. Individual AIS spectra for these areas were then examined to identify specific minerals. Two types of alteration were mapped with the AIS data. Areas of quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration were identified based upon a strong absorption feature near 2.21 ??m, a weak shoulder near 2.25 ??m, and a weak absorption band near 2.35 ??m caused by sericite (fine-grained muscovite). Areas of argillic alteration were defined based on the presence of montmorillonite, identified by a weak to moderate absorption feature near 2.21 ??m and the absence of the 2.35 ??m band. Montmorillonite could not be identified in mineral mixtures. Calcite and dolomite were identified based on sharp absorption features near 2.34 and 2.32 ??m, respectively. Areas of alteration identified using the AIS data corresponded well with areas mapped using field mapping, field reflectance spectra, and laboratory spectral measurements. ?? 1988.