Geological mapping in Morozumi range and Helliwell hills areas, northern Victoria Land (NVL), Antarctica using remote sensing imagery

Many regions remain poorly studied in terms of geological mapping in inaccessible regions especially in the Arctic and Antarctica due to harsh conditions and logistical difficulties. Application of specialized image processing techniques is capable of revealing the hidden linearly mixed spectral sources in multispectral and hyperspectral satellite images. In this study, the application of Independent component analysis (ICA) and Constrained Energy Minimization (CEM) algorithms was evaluated for Landsat-8 and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) remote sensing data for geological mapping in Morozumi Range and Helliwell Hills areas, Northern Victoria Land (NVL), Antarctica. ICA algorithm was able to detect hidden linearly mixed spectral sources and low probability target materials in Landsat-8 and ASTER datasets. Fraction images of endmember target minerals such as hematite, goethite, jarosite, alunite, kaolinite, muscovite, epidote, chlorite, calcite, quartz, opal and chalcedony were produced using CEM algorithm for two spatial subsets of ASTER scene covering the Morozumi Range and Helliwell Hills areas. CEM classification image maps indicated that chlorite/hematite, goethite/jarosite/calcite and kaolinite/muscovite are governed in the Morozumi Range and goethite, chlorite, hematite and epidote are most dominated mineral assemblages in the Helliwell Hills area. GPS survey and XRD analysis verified the alteration mineral assemblages detected by ICA and CEM image processing algorithms. The results of this investigation demonstrate the capability of the two algorithms in distinguishing pixel and subpixel targets in the multispectral satellite data. The application of the methods for identifying poorly exposed geologic materials and subpixel exposures of alteration minerals has invaluable implications for geological mapping and mineral exploration in inaccessible regions