PSJC #103 November 30 2011

Mehmet Yesiltas

Laboratory far-infrared spectroscopy of terrestrial phyllosilicates to support planetary and astronomical remote sensing

We present far infrared spectra of terrestrial phyllosilicate minerals in the wavelength range 15 - 250 μm to support interpretion of returned data from far-IR space-missions such as the Herschel Space Observatory. Seventeen phyllosilicates were sampled from the American Museum of Natural History for diversity and astrophysical relevancy, based on their identification in Stardust, in stratospheric IDP samples, or in meteorites. These include serpentines, smectites, chlorites, micas, and kaolinites. Spectra of ~micron-sized powder suspensions in polyethelyne pellets reveal prominent and characteristic far-IR features, which differ significantly in some cases from already published spectra, where available.