Optical Data of Cosmic Dust Analogues

Laboratory Astrophysics Group of the AIU Jena

Additional information about natural olivine:

A natural olivine crystal was investigated
  • It was an olive-green olivine crystal from provided by the Mineralogical Collection of the University Freiberg. The crystal has been crystallographically oriented by the Laue diffraction method. Its chemical composition was check by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) at a SEM to Mg1.9Fe0.1SiO4.
  • The optical constants were obtained by oscillator fit analysis to the reflection spectra.
  • Reflection spectra and lattice modes

  • Reflection spectra of natural olivine E||x (ASCII)

  • Reflection spectra of natural olivine E||y (ASCII)

  • Reflection spectra of natural olivine E||z (ASCII)

    By doing oscillator fit analysis, the optical constants have been derived (E||x):

    (E||y):

    (E||z):

  • Olivine E || x (ASCII)
  • Olivine E || y (ASCII)
  • Olivine E || z (ASCII)

    Using these data, IR absorption spectra of olivine particles have been calculated:
    1) spheres
    2) a continuous distribution of ellipsoids, where all shapes are equally probable (CDE1)
    3) a distribution of ellipsoid with a quadrativ weighting, where near spherical shapes are most probable (CDE2).
    The calculations have been performed for small particles in the Rayleigh limit.

  • Mass absorption coefficients of olivine spheres, CDE1 and CDE2 in vacuum (ASCII).
  • Mass absorption coefficients of olivine powder (d < 1 micron, ground single crystals) by using the PE/KBr pellet technique (ASCII).



  • Additionally, optical constants of olivine are available from the Ultraviolet to the NIR. The data have been obtained from unpolarized measured reflection and transmission spectra of thin sections.
  • Optical constants of olivine from 50000 to 5000 cm-1 (ASCII)

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        Last modified: Dirk Fabian, January 2002