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

The results 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.