Annual rates of ground deformation (1993–2010) at Campi Flegrei, Italy, revealed by Persistent Scatterer Pair (PSP) – SAR interferometry

Abstract

Campi Flegrei is an active volcanic district located along the Eastern Tyrrhenian continental margin, Italy, and is worldwide known for dramatic ground deformation phenomena (bradyseism) recorded over the last centuries. The purpose of this article is to present the annual rates of ground deformation fields (average velocity, average acceleration, and combined annual velocity/acceleration) at Campi Flegrei, during almost two decades (years 1993–2010). The research work was conducted based on a temporal analysis and advanced mapping of Persistent Scatterer Pair (PSP) data, obtained from interferometric processing of radar satellite European Remote Sensing-1/2 and Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT) scenes of the study area. Patterns and trends of annual PSP velocity have provided a reconstruction of the spatial and temporal variability of ground deformation in terms of uplift and/or subsidence along the satellite line of sight (LOS). The analysis of annual PSP velocity and acceleration has revealed an intense dynamics of the Campi Flegrei caldera collapse-resurgence system, testified by the high PSP velocity and acceleration values, as well as the significant changes in the rates of ground deformation through time. The main results of this research indicate that the largest ground deformation is localized within and around the structural border of the Campi Flegrei caldera and suggest a systematic recurrence of opposite trends (uplift vs. subsidence) in the ground deformation of the inner caldera region with respect to the surrounding areas throughout the analysed time period.