Radiative transfer modeling of surface chemical deposits

Remote detection of a surface-bound chemical relies on the recognition of a pattern, or “signature,” that is distinct from the background. Such signatures are a function of a chemical’s fundamental optical properties, but also depend upon its specific morphology. Importantly, the same chemical can exhibit vastly different signatures depending on the size of particles composing the deposit. We present a parameterized model to account for such morphological effects on surface-deposited chemical signatures. This model leverages computational tools developed within the planetary and atmospheric science communities, beginning with T-matrix and ray-tracing approaches for evaluating the scattering and extinction properties of individual particles based on their size and shape, and the complex refractive index of the material itself. These individual-particle properties then serve as input to the Ambartsumian invariant imbedding solution for the reflectance of a particulate surface composed of these particles. The inputs to the model include parameters associated with a functionalized form of the particle size distribution (PSD) as well as parameters associated with the particle packing density and surface roughness. The model is numerically inverted via Sandia’s Dakota package, optimizing agreement between modeled and measured reflectance spectra, which we demonstrate on data acquired on five size-selected silica powders over the 4-16 μm wavelength range. Agreements between modeled and measured reflectance spectra are assessed, while the optimized PSDs resulting from the spectral fitting are then compared to PSD data acquired from independent particle size measurements.