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Material Reflectance Libraries

Every material and compound reflects light differently based on it's chemical composition. Many organizations have collected, cataloged, and published these reflectance spectra for use in analysis and detection.

USGS Spectral Library​

The United States Geological Service has analyzed close to 2500 individual materials for their reflectance spectra. Their spectral library provides an easy to use tool to search & download reflectance plots from ultraviolet to short wave infrared.

Screenshot of the USGS spectral library version 7

Screenshot of the USGS spectral library version 7

The USGS spectral library also includes reflectance spectra for a wide range of materials, including vegetation, water, and hydrocarbons. It is regularaly updated and expanded to ensure that it remains a comprehensive and valuable resource.

Urban Surfaces Spectral Library​

The University of Reading's London Urban Meteorological Observatory has published a spectral library that is focused on urban materials.

ECOSTRESS Spectral Library​

The ECOSTRESS Spectral Library contains over 3400 natural and man made material spectra, and includes data from three other spectral libraries (Johns Hopkins, JPL, and USGS).