Mid-infrared spectroscopy of alkali feldspar samples for space application

Feldspars are major components of terrestrial planetary surfaces. For future space application and the setup of a comprehensive reference database, Na- and K-rich alkali feldspars, NaAlS i 3 O 8 – KAlS i 3 O 8 , have been investigated by infrared reflectance spectroscopy. We related the feldspar spectra to the chemical composition and state of Al,Si order/disorder. The infrared measurements were analyzed with respect to band shifts and peak shapes using the autocorrelation function. Natural samples served as starting materials. Some samples were treated by the alkali exchange method to produce pure end-members, which were then heated to generate various states of Al,Si disorder. X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods served to determine the Al,Si distribution. Our autocorrelation allowed to differentiate between the compositional and the order/disorder influences seen in the spectra in the wavelength range between 7 μ m up to 14 μ m (1429 cm − 1 to 714 cm − 1 ). Space missions often analyze the surfaces of planetary bodies using remote sensing. Therefore, our results are essential to characterize and distinguish alkali feldspars on the surfaces of terrestrial planetary bodies like Mercury.