Crustal deformation study of Kashmir basin: Insights from PSInSAR based time series analysis

Abstract

In the present study, the rate of deformation of the Kashmir basin has been determined using the Sentinel-1A based Persistent Scatterer Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (PSInSAR). The study reveals highest rate of uplift in the Pir-Panjal range (8–13 mm/y) whereas, in the Saribal range the rate of upliftment is 5–6 mm/y. The line of sight displacement in the Kashmir basin was recorded in the range of −20 to +30 mm/y over the period of 2015 to 2021. However, the temporal displacement variation in the Kashmir valley varies in different years during the observation period and was found maximum in the year 2021. The Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) clearly show dominant uplift in the valley and surrounding hill ranges. The PSInSAR results were further validated with the GPS based deformation rates, which indicates a maximum of 10 mm/yr of deformation in the study area. The high / lows of gravity and magnetic based surveys are well corroborated with the observed positive and negative anomalies of present PSInSAR velocity results. Further, the Global Positioning System (GPS) based crustal strain results are also collectively substantiating our PSInSAR based crustal behaviour of the Kashmir basin.