Reflectance spectral characterization of acid sulphate soil in South Yunderup, Western Australia

Acid sulphate soils (ASS) are widely spread worldwide and are detrimental to theenvironment. South Yunderup is one of the coastal areas of Western Australia heavilyaffected by ASS. Conventional investigation is costly and time-consuming, and thusthere is an urgent need to rapidly characterize and id...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shi, Xianzhong, Aspandiar, Mehrooz, Oldmeadow, David
Format: Journal Article
Published: Taylor and Francis Ltd 2014
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41827
_version_ 1848756251403485184
author Shi, Xianzhong
Aspandiar, Mehrooz
Oldmeadow, David
author_facet Shi, Xianzhong
Aspandiar, Mehrooz
Oldmeadow, David
author_sort Shi, Xianzhong
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Acid sulphate soils (ASS) are widely spread worldwide and are detrimental to theenvironment. South Yunderup is one of the coastal areas of Western Australia heavilyaffected by ASS. Conventional investigation is costly and time-consuming, and thusthere is an urgent need to rapidly characterize and identify this type of soil. This paperaims to characterize these soils using reflectance spectra, which may be one of themost significant steps in effectively identifying them and mapping their extent byremote sensing. The ASS from the study area were divided into several groups andsubtypes according to both pH measurements and mineral composition as identified byX-ray diffraction analysis. Each group and subtype was then characterized by itsspectral reflectance features. We found that the spectral characteristics of ASS aregoverned by the spectral features of its compositional minerals. In particular, somesecondary iron-bearing minerals produced by the formation of ASS, together withsurrounding minerals such as carbonate, play vitally important roles in influencing thespectral characterization of ASS. These iron-bearing minerals, including iron oxides,hydroxides/oxyhydroxides (e.g. haematite, goethite, and ferrihydrite), and iron sulphates(e.g. jarosite and copiapite), have diagnostic spectral features and are thereforedetectable in the reflectance range. Moreover, these secondary iron-bearing mineralscould be indicators suggesting the pH conditions in which they formed. The results ofthis study include the overall mineral distribution of the study area, the spectralcharacterization of different groups and subtypes of ASS, and the linkages betweenspectral features and pH ranges.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T09:09:14Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-41827
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T09:09:14Z
publishDate 2014
publisher Taylor and Francis Ltd
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-418272017-09-13T15:59:55Z Reflectance spectral characterization of acid sulphate soil in South Yunderup, Western Australia Shi, Xianzhong Aspandiar, Mehrooz Oldmeadow, David Acid sulphate soils (ASS) are widely spread worldwide and are detrimental to theenvironment. South Yunderup is one of the coastal areas of Western Australia heavilyaffected by ASS. Conventional investigation is costly and time-consuming, and thusthere is an urgent need to rapidly characterize and identify this type of soil. This paperaims to characterize these soils using reflectance spectra, which may be one of themost significant steps in effectively identifying them and mapping their extent byremote sensing. The ASS from the study area were divided into several groups andsubtypes according to both pH measurements and mineral composition as identified byX-ray diffraction analysis. Each group and subtype was then characterized by itsspectral reflectance features. We found that the spectral characteristics of ASS aregoverned by the spectral features of its compositional minerals. In particular, somesecondary iron-bearing minerals produced by the formation of ASS, together withsurrounding minerals such as carbonate, play vitally important roles in influencing thespectral characterization of ASS. These iron-bearing minerals, including iron oxides,hydroxides/oxyhydroxides (e.g. haematite, goethite, and ferrihydrite), and iron sulphates(e.g. jarosite and copiapite), have diagnostic spectral features and are thereforedetectable in the reflectance range. Moreover, these secondary iron-bearing mineralscould be indicators suggesting the pH conditions in which they formed. The results ofthis study include the overall mineral distribution of the study area, the spectralcharacterization of different groups and subtypes of ASS, and the linkages betweenspectral features and pH ranges. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41827 10.1080/01431161.2014.907938 Taylor and Francis Ltd restricted
spellingShingle Shi, Xianzhong
Aspandiar, Mehrooz
Oldmeadow, David
Reflectance spectral characterization of acid sulphate soil in South Yunderup, Western Australia
title Reflectance spectral characterization of acid sulphate soil in South Yunderup, Western Australia
title_full Reflectance spectral characterization of acid sulphate soil in South Yunderup, Western Australia
title_fullStr Reflectance spectral characterization of acid sulphate soil in South Yunderup, Western Australia
title_full_unstemmed Reflectance spectral characterization of acid sulphate soil in South Yunderup, Western Australia
title_short Reflectance spectral characterization of acid sulphate soil in South Yunderup, Western Australia
title_sort reflectance spectral characterization of acid sulphate soil in south yunderup, western australia
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41827