Three-dimensional spectral analysis of compositional heterogeneity at Arruntia crater on (4) Vesta using Dawn FC

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel three-dimensional spectral analysis method using convex polyhedrons to better characterize surface heterogeneity on asteroid Vesta, improving upon traditional two-dimensional approaches with application to Dawn FC data.

Contribution

The study develops and applies a 3D spectral approach with convex polyhedrons for surface analysis, enhancing the qualitative and quantitative characterization of Vesta's compositional heterogeneity.

Findings

Arruntia region is eucrite-dominated and howarditic.

Olivine-rich exposures are 12% larger than previous estimates.

No pure CM2-chondrite, olivine, glass, or diogenite lithologies found.

Abstract

We introduce an innovative three-dimensional spectral approach (three band parameter space with polyhedrons) that can be used for both qualitative and quantitative analyses improving the characterization of surface heterogeneity of (4) Vesta. It is an advanced and more robust methodology compared to the standard two-dimensional spectral approach (two band parameter space). The Dawn Framing Camera (FC) color data obtained during High Altitude Mapping Orbit (resolution ~ 60 m/pixel) is used. The main focus is on the howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) lithologies containing carbonaceous chondritic material, olivine, and impact-melt. The archived spectra of HEDs and their mixtures, from RELAB, HOSERLab and USGS databases as well as our laboratory-measured spectra are used for this study. Three-dimensional convex polyhedrons are defined using computed band parameter values of laboratory spectra. Polyhedrons based on the parameters of Band Tilt (R0.92{\mu}m/R0.96{\mu}m), Mid Ratio ((R0.75{\mu}m/R0.83{\mu}m)/(R0.83{\mu}m/R0.92{\mu}m)) and reflectance at 0.55 {\mu}m (R0.55{\mu}m) are chosen for the present analysis. An algorithm in IDL programming language is employed to assign FC data points to the respective polyhedrons. The Arruntia region in the northern hemisphere of Vesta is selected for a case study because of its geological and mineralogical importance. We observe that this region is eucrite-dominated howarditic in composition. The extent of olivine-rich exposures within an area of 2.5 crater radii is ~ 12% larger than the previous finding (Thangjam et al., 2014). Lithologies of nearly pure CM2-chondrite, olivine, glass, and diogenite are not found in this region. Our spectral approach can be extended to the entire Vestan surface to study the heterogeneous surface composition and its geology.