Spectroscopic Analysis of Various Phases of Water with an Intrinsic Near-Infrared Optical Sensor System

Results and analysis are reported for near-infrared spectra obtained using an intrinsic optical sensor system. An experimental facility was designed to integrate fiber optic cables with an FTIR spectrometer. Wavelength-dependent spectral signatures were observed for the solid, liquid, and adsorbed phases of water at 1.94 and 1.45 micrometers. The data obtained can be used to characterize the water abundance of a medium on very small scales and can aid our understanding of the behavior of water and thermal properties of planetary surfaces by observing, for example, ice formation in void spaces between mineral grains. This system will be further developed for use in an environmental simulation facility to analyze Mars analog soils. The implications of this work could impact future space missions in regard to the availability of critical resources for human missions and the search for non-terrestrial life.