Welcome to the Planetary Spectroscopy and Mineralogy Laboratory, designed to support robotic exploration of the solar system and investigate mineralogy and biosignatures in planetary materials
The Planetary Spectroscopy and Mineralogy Laboratory has two primary missions. The first is produce cutting edge hyperspectral imaging across a wide range of spatial scales, from sub-micron scales to millimeters scale, to hand samples and higher. We use the data to investigate key textural-mineralogical relationships in rocks and meteorites, and to search for biosignatures in rocks here on Earth. The second major goal is to provide support for planetary missions in Asia and around the globe. We explore the infrared and raman spectral characteristics of materials analogous to those found on the Moon and Mars.
Our instrumentation includes and iS50 mainframe spectrometer, Continuum IR Microscope, environmental chamber for low-pressure reflectance measurements, ASD short wave infrared lab/field spectrometer, Renishaw inVia Qontor Spectrometer, Hyspex imaging cameras operated with our industry partner (DIMAP), an ATR infrared microscope, thermogravimeter, and a Rigaku Mini-Flex X-ray diffractometer (XRD). We have have a wide range of spectroscopy tools available to collaborators from Hong Kong and further abroad.
Some meteorites are recognized to have originated on Mars, though we do not know the exact source recion. This green meteorite is Dar al Gani 476 - an igneous rock rich in olivine and pyroxene, with some shock metamorphosed minerals and glass and carbonate alteration that probably formed on earth once the meteorite landed here.