A Contextual Algorithm for Detection of Mineral Alteration Halos with Hyperspectral Remote Sensing

Th e occurrence of hydrocarbon seeps at the Earth’s surface indicates that hydrocarbon reservoirs leak. Leakage can be active or passive, visible to the human eye (macroseepage) or only chemically detectable (microseepage). In the long term, light hydrocarbons that are being oxidized by bacteria can, directly or indirectly, change the pH and Eh of the surrounding environment. Onshore, this results in formation of oxidation-reduction zones that infl uence mineral stability.