File:Tesvsthemis-med.jpg

English: TES vs. THEMIS in the infrared spectrum - These images of Verde Valley, Arizona, simulate the resolution of infrared instruments on two NASA Mars spacecraft: TES on Mars Global Surveyor (left) and THEMIS on 2001 Mars Odyssey (right).

The THEMIS instrument on the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft uses 9 spectral bands to help detect minerals within the martian terrain. These spectral bands, similar to ranges of colors, can obtain the signatures (spectral "fingerprints") of particular types of geological materials. Minerals, such as carbonates, silicates, hydroxides, sulfates, hydrothermal silica, oxides and phosphates, all show up as different colors in the infrared spectrum. This multi-spectral method allows researchers to detect in particular the presence of minerals that form in water and to understand those minerals in their proper geological context. THEMIS' infrared capabilities have significantly improved the data from TES, a similar instrument on Mars Global Surveyor.