A geology index — 0 compatible sensors — Last revised June 1, 2025
DOL

Dolomite Index

Geological index for detecting dolomite minerals in rocks and carbonate formations. Particularly useful for lithologic mapping and identifying carbonate rocks.

Used in forest monitoring, and mineral exploration.

When to use

  • Mineral exploration target identification in arid and bare-ground regions
  • Hydrothermal alteration zone mapping
  • Lithological unit discrimination
  • Iron oxide and clay mineral mapping
  • Pre-field reconnaissance for geological surveys
  • Geology
  • Lithologic Mapping

Limitations

  • Vegetation cover masks underlying mineral signatures — works best on bare ground
  • Atmospheric water vapour absorbs in similar SWIR regions, requiring correction
  • Particle size and mineral mixtures produce non-linear spectral mixing
  • Should be combined with field validation — single-index identification is unreliable
  • Different mineral assemblages can produce similar spectral signatures
  • Requires sensors with SWIR bands — not available on all platforms

General Formula

Sensor-Specific Formulas

Most-used sensors — click to show code below

SensorProviderFormulaBand Mapping

Code Examples

dolomite_generic.py

DOL vs other geology indices

IndexNameHow it differs
AKPAlunite/Kaolinite/Pyrophylite IndexAlternative geology index — different band combination
ALTAlteration IndexAlternative geology index — different band combination
AMPAmphibole IndexAlternative geology index — different band combination
ClayClay IndexAlternative geology index — different band combination

Related Geology Indices

AKP
Alunite/Kaolinite/Pyrophylite Index
ALT
Alteration Index
AMP
Amphibole Index
Clay
Clay Index
ECA
Epidote/Chlorite/Amphibole Index
Fe3+
Ferric Iron Index
FOX
Ferric Oxides Index
FEI
Ferrous Iron Index

References

Rowan & Mars (2003)

Need help choosing?

Ask our AI assistant for sensor recommendations, code examples, or how DOL compares to other indices for your specific use case.

Ask AI →