| Abstract: | The type, strength, and spatial distributions of hydrocarbon alteration of the surface soil are studied in two sections in East Sichuan area through the simultaneous analysis of soil organic geochemistry, soil mineralogy, and soil chemistry. The spectral response and remote-sensing mechanism are studied through the soil spectral analysis in the range of VIS--NIR bands. The results of this study demonstrate that long-time hydrocarbon microseepage can induce mineral and chemical alteration of surface soil, including the increase of clay-mineral content and carbonate-mineral content, the increase of ferrous-iron content, and decrease of ferric-iron content. Soil mineral components related to hydrocarbon alteration have spatial coincidence with soil organic geochemical components. Increase of clay- and carbonate-mineral contents in the soil can cause decrease of reflectance in VIS–NIR bands and increase of Landsat band ratio TM5/TM7. Increase of ferrous-iron content and decrease of ferric-iron content in the soil may cause increase of reflectance in the range of 400 nm to 600 nm, and higher reflectance of Landsat band ratios of TM1/TM3 and TM2/TM3. |
