Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP) / Planètes, Environnements et Plasmas Spatiaux team (PEPS) - CNRS / Université Paul Sabatier, OMP, Toulouse, France
PaSSTEL (PlanetAry Surface Spectroscopy Toulouse Experimental Laboratory) database is aimed at characterizing the optical response of geological targets from 10 mm x 10 mm to 20 cm x 20 cm size, ranging from controlled powders to complex slab rock samples.
These data are used for testing and improving spectral deconvolution and spectrophotometric modelling to better handle the behaviour of terrestrial and planetary surfaces (soils, regoliths, outcrops …) seen at different scales of analysis, ranging from orbital to in situ spatial scales(Cord et al., 2005, Chevrel et al., 2009). This approach supports interpretation of telescopic, spaceborne and/or in situ planetary observations (Pinet et al., 2000, Jehl et al., 2008, Kaydash et al., 2009, Souchon et al., 2013, Clenet et al., 2013).
The database mainly consists of visible-near infrared bidirectional reflectance measurements performed on natural mineral solid solution samples, involving pyroxene and/or olivine minerals, with controlled grain size ranging from 45 µm to 2 mm, with six defined granulometric classes (C1: 45–75 µm, C2: 75–125 µm, C3: 125–250 µm, C4: 250–500 µm, C5: 500–1000 µm and C6: 1–2 mm). Samples are derived from natural volcanic products with diverse contents of rock fragments, monocrystals and glass, various shapes and surface aspects. Samples can be homogeneous (e.g., olivine) or heterogeneous, consisting of complex mixtures (e.g., pyroclastics), with matrix contributions.