Spectral properties of plagioclase and pyroxene mixtures and the interpretation of lunar soil spectra

Pyroxene and plagioclase mixtures' spectral characteristics are investigated with a view to particle size and mineral proportion effects in the cases of variously proportioned labradorite/enstatite compositional mixtures. The amount of plagioclase that will allow its band to be observed in discrete absorption is particle size-dependent; plagioclase is detectable in the flattening of the pyroxene reflectance peak that lies between the 0.9 and 1.9 micron absorption bands, if sufficient plagioclase is present. Attention is given to the combined effects of mineral proportions and particle size for plagioclase/pyroxene mixtures in the case of analogs of mature and immature lunar highland soils.