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Science 14 July 1989:
Vol. 245. no. 4914, pp. 165 - 168
DOI: 10.1126/science.245.4914.165
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Articles

Spectral Reflectance Properties of Hydrocarbons: Remote-Sensing Implications

EDWARD A. CLOUTIS 1

1 Department of Geology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E3.

The spectral reflectance properties of bituminous tar sands were examined in the wavelength range from 0.35 to 2.6 micrometers. Unique absorption features due to all the major phases, except quartz, appear in the spectra. The intensities of the absorption features correlate with the abundances of the various phases. The results of this study have applications to the remote sensing of many terrestrial and extraterrestrial targets because of potential similarities between tar sand and other hydrocarbon occurrences. For example, it is found that highly polymerized hydrocarbons are a plausible constituent of the dark material on one of Saturn's satellites, Iapetus.

Submitted on December 30, 1988
Accepted on April 19, 1989


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Remote sensing of onshore hydrocarbon seepage: problems and solutions.
H. M. A. van der Werff, M. F. Noomen, M. van der Meijde, and F. D. van der Meer (2007)
Geological Society, London, Special Publications 283, 125-133
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Laboratory reflectance spectra of hydrothermally altered carbonate facies, Pine Point mining camp, NWT, Canada.
W. A. Turner, W. A. Turner, A. Laamrani, and B. Rivard (2003)
Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis 3, 369-379
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)