USGS Spectral Library Version 7 with Ultraviolet to Far Infrared Measurements

USGS Spectral Library Version 7 contains spectra measured with laboratory, field, and airborne spectrometers covering wavelengths from 0.2 to 200 microns. It includes samples of specific minerals, plants, chemical compounds, man-made materials, and physically-constructed mixtures. The data release is accompanied by a detailed publication describing the instruments, metadata, and possible artifacts in the spectral measurements.

Use Cases

• Train a model to classify minerals or man-made materials based on spectral features from 0.2 to 200 microns.
• Analyze the relationship between chemical structure and unique spectral features in purified laboratory samples.
• Interpret remotely sensed field or airborne data by comparing it to the library's spectro-chemical links.
• Compare sampling positions and bandpass values across the four spectrometer types (Beckman 5270, ASD, Nicolet FTIR, AVIRIS).
• Study spectral signatures of vegetation plots and forested areas measured by airborne spectrometers.

Strengths

• Spectra cover a broad wavelength range from the ultraviolet to the far infrared (0.2 to 200 microns).
• Includes data from four distinct spectrometer types, enabling cross-instrument analysis.
• Library contains both pure samples and mathematically-computed mixtures for controlled study.
• Accompanied by a detailed U.S. Geological Survey Data Series publication describing instruments and metadata.

Limitations

• Sample data and specific row/column counts are unavailable, making initial assessment of data volume difficult.
• Data is provided in XML and ASCII text formats, which may require specialized parsing for analysis.
• Potential for artifacts in spectral measurements as noted in the accompanying publication.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior.

Collection Method

Spectra measured with laboratory, field, and airborne spectrometers; includes physically-constructed and mathematically-computed mixtures.

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-01-19.

Geography

Samples and measurements are associated with global regions including Asia, Australia, Europe, and Africa, as indicated by tags.