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Science 26 July 1968:
Vol. 161. no. 3839, pp. 365 - 366
DOI: 10.1126/science.161.3839.365
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Articles

Martian Surface Materials: Effect of Particle Size on Spectral Behavior

John W. Salisbury 1 and Graham R. Hunt 1

1 Lunar-Planetary Research Branch, Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories, L. G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730

The presence of abundant limonite on Mars has long been the subject of controversy. Some advocates of abundant limonite also suggest that the albedo differences between Martian light and dark areas are caused by different sizes of particles in those areas. We show that the relative albedo is reversed from the blue to the red for samples of limonite with particles of different sizes. Observations of Mars reveal no blue-red albedo reversal between the light and dark areas. Consequently, the hypothesis of particle size control of albedo is incompatible with the presence of abundant limonite on Mars.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Effect of Soil Spectral Properties on Remote Sensing of Crop Residue Cover.
G. Serbin, C. S. T. Daughtry, E. R. Hunt Jr., D. J. Brown, and G. W. McCarty (2009)
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 73, 1545-1558
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Inorganic Analyses of Martian Surface Samples at the Viking Landing Sites.
B. C. Clark, B. C. CLARK, A. K. BAIRD, H. J. ROSE JR., P. TOULMIN III, K. KEIL, A. J. CASTRO, W. C. KELLIHER, C. D. ROWE, and P. H. EVANS (1976)
Science 194, 1283-1288
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Spectral Reflectivity of Mars.
T. B. Mccord, T. B. McCord, and J. B. Adams (1969)
Science 163, 1058-1060
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