Lithium Mapping McDermitt Caldera
Lithium’s (Li) distribution is increasingly being investigated in geologic settings due to its ability to respond to short-lived volcanological phenomena, as well as the economic importance of Li’s concentration in our transition to green energy (e.g., batteries). The latter has led to an exponential increase in the use of remote sensing techniques for mapping Li deposits, however, connecting these deposits back to the volcanic and post-depositional processes that led to their development is lacking. This is what our group is seeking to solve.
McDermitt Field Experience + EMIT Results
In this project we seek to:
1) measure the spectral signatures of rocks collected from a Li-rich volcanic deposit to develop a spectral library and build statistically-driven models to classify different Li rock-origins
2) conduct a series of decompression experiments that will simulate different styles of volcanic eruptions to understand the location of Li upon deposition,
3) explore how high temperature and fluid interactions at Earth's surface alter these initial Li concentrations,
4) collect geochemical and spectral data on experimentally formed rock samples to compare with natural samples,
5) collect imaging spectroscopy data using an unoccupied airborne vehicle (UAV), to develop and test models for Li quantification across the McDermitt caldera,
6) compare these against models developed using NASA satellites ASTER, Landsat-8 and 9, and EMIT.
Ultimately the results from this study will allow for the development of models for quantifying the distribution of Li remotely, where these methods could also result in a remotely-sensed proxy for identifying explosive volcanic deposits anywhere in the solar system.
