A consortium has recently been initiated to study the macroscopic and microscopic properties of basaltic and andesitic rocks as analogue materials for Mars. The goal of this project is the integration of diverse spectroscopic approaches to
evaluate the composition and texture of Mars materials using both in situ and remote sensing techniques. Initial emphasis is placed on assessment of the mineral composition for low albedo areas (basalt vs andesite vs weathering) of the Martian surface through spectral analysis of a suite of samples that have been exceptionally well characterized in the laboratory. The initial results indicate that the visible/NIR reflectance spectra, mid-IR reflectance and emission spectra, and Mössbauer spectra contain consistent diagnostic features associated with the measured modal mineralogy and provide baseline data for the first group of well characterized basalts. The consortium study involves integrating multiple remote sensing techniques for recent and upcoming missions to Mars in order to compare the results obtained by these instruments and thereby strengthen interpretive results.
A consortium has recently been initiated to study the macroscopic and microscopic properties of basaltic and andesitic rocks as analogue materials for Mars. The goal of this project is the integration of diverse spectroscopic approaches to
evaluate the composition and texture of Mars materials using both in situ and remote sensing techniques. Initial emphasis is placed on assessment of the mineral composition for low albedo areas (basalt vs andesite vs weathering) of the Martian surface through spectral analysis of a suite of samples that have been exceptionally well characterized in the laboratory. The initial results indicate that the visible/NIR reflectance spectra, mid-IR reflectance and emission spectra, and Mössbauer spectra contain consistent diagnostic features associated with the measured modal mineralogy and provide baseline data for the first group of well characterized basalts. The consortium study involves integrating multiple remote sensing techniques for recent and upcoming missions to Mars in order to compare the results obtained by these instruments and thereby strengthen interpretive results.