Astrobiology Workshop, Macquarie University July 12-13 2001

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Hyperspectral Analysis of a Hydrothermal System at Mount Painter, Flinders Ranges, (and application to Martian analogues)

Matilda Thomas (Macquarie University)

Intergrated analysis of hyperspectral air- and ground-collected spectral measurements were used in conjunction with conventional field mapping techniques to map hydrothermal alteration in the central portion of the Mount Painter Inlier in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. The air-gathered hyperspectral data show the spatial distribution of spectrally distinct minerals occurring as primary minerals and as weathering and alteration products. Field spectral measurements, taken with a PIMA II spectrometer, and thin-section analyses were used to verify the mineral maps and enhance the quality of information from the air-gathered data.

The hydrothermal alteration at Mount Painter represents the best earth analogue for possible hydrothermal mineral deposits on Mars. The fairly recent discovery of a large hematite deposit at Sinus Meridian on Mars raises questions about its possible origin as an ancient environment that could have supported life. The size, age, and mineralogy of the Mount Painter Province make it highly suitable for comparison with Mars. The region is arid, and, like Mars, much of the surface is covered with deposits of iron oxide. The main minerals at the ancient system at Mount Painter include hematite and various silicates (also what would be expected for an ancient Martian hydrothermal system). The remote-sensing of alteration at Mount Painter demonstrates that hyperspectral imaging techniques can produce detailed mineralogical maps that can be used to interpret depositional stages and boundaries of hydrothermal activity. Application of a similar hyperspectral survey, as conducted at Mount Painter would be likely to provide similar amounts of detail about the proposed hydrothermal deposit on Mars.