Sequencing Silicates in the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph Debris Disk Catalog. I. Methodology for Unsupervised Clustering

Debris disks, which consist of dust, planetesimals, planets, and gas, offer a unique window into the mineralogical composition of their parent bodies, especially during the critical phase of terrestrial planet formation spanning 10 yr to a few hundred million years. Observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope have unveiled thousands of debris disks, yet systematic studies remain scarce, let alone those with unsupervised clustering techniques. This study introduces CLustering UnsupErvised with Sequencer (CLUES), a novel, nonparametric, fully interpretable machine learning spectral analysis tool designed to analyze and classify the spectral data of debris disks. CLUES combines multiple unsupervised clustering methods with multiscale distance measures to discern new groupings and trends, offering insights into compositional diversity and geophysical processes within these disks. Our analysis allows us to explore a vast parameter space in debris disk mineralogy and also offers broader applications in fields such as protoplanetary disks and solar system objects. This paper details the methodology, implementation, and initial results of CLUES, setting the stage for more detailed follow-up studies focusing on debris disk mineralogy and demographics.