Identification of hydrothermal alteration minerals associated with geothermal system using ASTER and Hyperion satellite data: a case study from Yankari Park, NE Nigeria

Abstract

Concealed and fossilized geothermal systems are not characterized by obvious surface manifestations like hotsprings and fumaroles, therefore, could not be easily identifiable using conventional techniques. In this investigation, the applicability of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Hyperion data-sets were evaluated in discriminating hydrothermal alteration minerals associated with geothermal systems as a proxy in identifying subtle Geothermal systems at Yankari Park, Nigeria. Feature-oriented principal component selection, spectral angle mapper, linear spectral unmixing were applied to ASTER data based on spectral characteristics of hydrothermal alteration key minerals for a systematic selective extraction of the information of interest. Analytical imaging and geophysics-developed processing methods were applied to Hyperion data for mapping iron oxide/hydroxide minerals and clay mineral assemblages in hydrothermal alteration zones. The results indicate that ASTER and Hyperion could be complemented for reconnaissance stage of targeting subtle alteration mineral assemblages associated with geothermal systems.