Hyperspectral ice analysis

The Hyperspectral ICE-core (HyICE) scanner is a novel instrument for collecting high-resolution hyperspectral measurements of ice-core sections. The system consists of a custom-designed high-precision linear motion stage which embeds a HeadWall Hyperspec(R) camera, which moves along sections scanning cutted flat surfaces, and a dedicated halogen light source. The camera collects images with 810 spectral bands in the 380-1000 nm spectral range (from visible to near-IR), giving a reflectance spectrum for each pixel. The instrumental set-up is designed to operate in a low-temperature environment (i.e. up to -20° C) to prevent changes in ice cores chemical and physical properties. These collected optical information permit a fast and quantitative analysis of VNIR properties of ice cores with many of applications in glaciology and interdisciplinary approaches.