Could a spectrometer on a probe or space telescope identify minerals, not only elements and molecules, from the spectral lines? Is there any technology for identifying minerals remotely?
Asked
Active
Viewed 71 times
2
-
Minerals are molecules aren't they? I'm not sure I understand your question. If you want to probe any molecule, you can look for their characteristic spectral lines, and this should work for minerals as well. Or do you mean minerals beneath the surface which are not visible directly from above? – Takku Jul 06 '14 at 09:16
1 Answers
2
Yes, minerals can be observed using spectroscopy on a telescope, typically from their thermal signature. We can determine what type of mineral based on the elements that make up the mineral as well as the type of crystal structure, which will give a different spectral signature
Aaron
- 1,518
- 10
- 14
-
-
http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/onlinebks/ResourcesNearEarthSpace/resources19.pdf see section III – Aaron Aug 21 '15 at 18:51
-
The link in the comments is dead. The link in the answer refers to spectroscopy done in the lab on martian meteorites. – ProfRob Oct 11 '19 at 17:10