Türkiye Jeoloji Bülteni

Remote Sensing of Listvenite Hydrothermal Alteration in Vezirler Mélange, Kula (Western Türkiye): Landsat-7 ETM+, Crosta-PCA and Band-Ratio Mapping

Abstract: Listvenite-type silica–carbonate metasomatic alteration in the Vezirler ophiolitic mélange (northeastern Kula, western Türkiye) was screened using a lithology-masked Selective PCA workflow and complementary band ratio indices applied to a cloud-free Landsat-7 ETM+ image. Masking reduced spectral mixing from vegetation, alluvium, and non-target lithologies and increased anomaly contrast within a field-verified ROI. Ferric-iron–sensitive PC2 anomalies cluster along carbonatized/silicified serpentinites (CS-Srp) and Fe-oxide-stained silica–carbonate caps (Fscc/Cnz), consistent with hematite coatings documented in the field. Ferrous-iron responsesare comparatively subdued, indicating limited preservation of surface-expressed Fe²+ signatures under pervasive oxidation and overprinting. Hydroxyl-related patterns delineate alteration halos but weaken over strongly silicifiedcaps where diagnostic OH absorption is suppressed. Band-ratio maps (Fe³+: B3/B2; silica: B7/B5; OH-: B5/(B5+ B7)), statistically segmented using μ ± σ thresholds, reproduce first-order PCA patterns and support repeatable anomaly ranking. The results demonstrate a rapid regional screening approach relevant to alteration targeting and natural mineral carbonation analogues, while recognizing inherent limitations of the 30 m resolution, such as false positives in shaded valleys due to topographic effects and spectral dilution from mixed-pixel responses along slope transitions. Future work may integrate ASTER TIR and archival ASTER SWIR scenes acquired prior to 2008, ormodern SWIR/hyperspectral datasets, to improve mineral discrimination.