Wavelength dispersive X-ray (WDX) spectrum scans
A WDX spectrum scan (red) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum scan (yellow) of a metal formed by the asteroid impact that created Barringer Crater in Arizona.
WDX scans can be useful for recognising the presence of small quantities of elements which would otherwise be missed.
In this example, the WDX spectrum scan of an iron- and nickel-rich metal formed by an asteroid impact revealed the presence of a small quantity of cobalt. This is likely to have been missed in the EDX scan as the cobalt peaks are overlapped by those of iron.