Global Mapping of Mineralo-Lithological Indices Derived With Aster Multispectral Thermal Infrared Data

ASTER measures the spectral radiation from the Earth in thermal infrared (TIR; 7-14 μm) region at five bands where the major terrestrial minerals exhibit distinct spectral properties. The mineralo-lithological indices for ASTER-TIR proposed by the author have been utilized for regional mapping in detecting silica, carbonate, sulfate and mafic-ultramafic minerals as well as delineating silicate rocks. On the other hand, the global emissivity dataset (GED) are developed and recently supplied to the public. In this study, the global map generated with the indices for the GED is shown. It is compared with the regional map covering a part of Tibetan Plateau produced with the procedures developed by the author. The result indicates the global map revealing the rough trend of lithology and mineralogy on Earth, however, the quality is not sufficient. The combined use of the regional and global maps are suggested for efficient analysis of global mineralo-lithology.