Regional-scale mineral mapping using ASTER VNIR/SWIR data and validation of reflectance and mineral map products using airborne hyperspectral CASI/SASI data

ASTER data have been widely and successfully used in lithological mapping and mineral exploration for decades. The errors due to atmospheric water vapor and the characteristics of the photoelectric sensor could lead to the anomalous characteristics of band 5 and 9 in the ASTER standard reflectivity product. These anomalies could result in the spectroscopic misidentification of minerals. This study proposed a simple method of atmospheric correction for converting radiance-at-sensor to ground reflectance. The ASTER VNIR/SWIR reflectance correction factor was derived to correct the spectral shape bias resulting from the radiometric calibration error using airborne hyperspectral CASI_SASI data. The ASTER VNIR/SWIR reflectance correction factor was derived to correct the spectral shape bias resulting from the radiometric calibration error. After applying the reflectance factor to the atmospheric-corrected ASTER L1B data, a band combination mapping method was proposed for identifying minerals more quickly and accurately. sults indicate that this method for atmospheric correction of ASTER data produces very good results in the arid and bare areas. It is still unknown whether the method is suitable for humid and rainy areas where atmospheric water vapor varies spatially more than in arid and bare areas. After applying the reflectance factor to the atmospheric-corrected ASTER L1B data, the mean error of all reflectance bands decreased from 0.0256 to 0.002, and the standard deviation decreased from 0.04251 to 0.0007. The errors of the 2/1, 5/6 and 9/8 band ratios decreased from 2.38%, 4.102%, and 4.28% to 1.26%, −0.162%, and 0.31%, respectively. The radiometric calibration error of the ASTER band 1–9 data can lead to the overestimation of kaolinite. A band index of 2/1 for retrieving Fe3+ cannot produce a reliable Fe3+ distribution map, and a new index should be developed.