Baekdusan Volcano Time-Series Analysis from 1992 to 1998 Using Multi-Interferogram InSAR Processing

Chang-Wook Lee

doi:10.3319/tao.2014.06.06.01(t)

Abstract

A multi-temporal SAR interferometry (InSAR) method was applied to a time-series analysis of the period from 1992-1998 to detect precursor volcanic activity at Baekdusan volcano, located on the border between China and North Korea. Permanent scatterers were selected for stable signal processing to monitor ground motion using the permanent scatterer InSAR (PSIn-SAR) technique, which generated a time-series surface deformation map using the refined small baseline subset (SBAS) InSAR method. The time-series analysis results were verified using a multi-track comparison technique for two different tracks (88/230 and 89/230). The time-series analysis of the two tracks represents an unaltered phase signal (mm scale) with time, except for periods with insufficient interferograms to make a precise time-series surface deformation map due to factors including atmospheric phase delay and other error effects (i.e., those that display a maximum value of the phase difference from -2.14 to +2.64 cm). These phase signals also have the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) range from 0.32-2.56 cm. No surface deformation was detected from the Japanese Earth Resources Satellites (JERS-1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data collected between 1992-1998 at the Baekdusan volcano, as monitored using volcanic surface movements with dynamic magma activity. No volcanic eruption precursor signals were demonstrated during the inactive period (1992-1998) prior to the active period (2002-2006) of this volcano.

Highlights

Baekdusan (Changbaishan) Mountain (Fig. 1) is located between China and North Korea on the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate
No surface deformation was detected from the Japanese Earth Resources Satellites (JERS-1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR)
JERS-1 SAR data Multi-temporal InSAR processing for the Baekdusan volcano was performed to elucidate any precursor volcanic activity phenomena that occurred during the “active period” from 2002 - 2006 using leveling survey results

Summary

Introduction

Baekdusan (Changbaishan) Mountain (Fig. 1) is located between China and North Korea on the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate It is one of the active volcanoes in East Asia and was the site of one of the largest explosive eruptions in the last 2000 years 1984; Self 2006; Self et al 2008), known as the Millennium eruption, which was the second largest volcanic eruption in history (Hetland et al 2004; Wei et al 2013; Xu et al 2013) Volcanic ash from this eruption event, which occurred about years ago, was reported as far away as the northern part of Japan (approximately 1200 km). Baekdusan volcano activity was assessed using Japanese Earth Resources Satellites (JERS-1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion