If not for the scattered Joshua trees, the sunbaked hills of Cuprite might easily be mistaken for the surface of Mars. Shaped by underground water that has chemically altered the landscape, these hills offer a unique glimpse into ancient Martian geology. Rich in minerals, the region has attracted prosperity for over a century, and now, it's drawing NASA scientists.
The area has become a key testing ground for advanced NASA technology aimed at mapping the minerals, craters, ice, and crusts found throughout our solar system. As NASA's Sally Younger reports, researchers are relying on a sophisticated remote sensing technique known as imaging spectroscopy. Developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the method identifies the molecular "fingerprints" of different materials by analyzing how they reflect and absorb light across more than 200 spectral bands, far beyond what traditional cameras can detect.
At the forefront of this effort is the GEMx project, which features two cutting-edge spectrometers; the veteran AVIRIS-Classic and its modern upgrade, AVIRIS-5. Both instruments are flown aboard NASA's ER-2 aircraft at altitudes of 60,000 feet, scanning the terrain below with remarkable precision. AVIRIS-5, in particular, can detect features smaller than a foot across, allowing scientists to identify potential sources of critical minerals like lithium and rare earth elements, materials vital to clean energy, defense technologies, and modern electronics.
