Fast detection of ground motions on vulnerable elements using Sentinel-1 InSAR data

Lorenzo Solari,Anna Barra,Gerardo Herrera,Silvia Bianchini,Oriol Monserrat,Marta Béjar-Pizarro,Michele Crosetto,Roberto Sarro,Sandro Moretti

doi:10.1080/19475705.2017.1413013

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe detection of active movements that could threat the infrastructures and the population is one of the main priorities of the risk management chain. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) techniques represent one of the most useful answers to this task; however, it is difficult to manage the huge amount of information derived from the interferometric analysis. In this work, we present a procedure for deriving impact assessment maps, over a regional test site, using as starting point Sentinel-1 SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) images and a catalogue of elements at risk that acts as a second input of the methodology. We applied the proposed approach, named as Vulnerable Elements Activity Maps (VEAM), to the islands of Gran Canaria, La Gomera and Tenerife (Spain), where we analysed SAR images covering the time interval November 2014–September 2016. The methodology, meant to be a powerful tool for reducing the time needed for a complete analysis of a full stack of InSAR data, is ideally suited for Civil Protection Authorities. The application of the methodology allowed to detect 108 areas affected by active deformation that are threatening one or more elements at risk in 25 municipalities of the three islands.

Highlights

An integrated risk management chain needs the exchange of information and experience between public authorities (i.e. Civil Protection entities) and research structures to guarantee the interconnection between the natural system and the anthropic elements at risk (Salvati et al 2016)
At least one of these potential hazard areas is detected in 13 municipalities, two of them register the presence of a number of active deformation areas (ADA) higher than 10 (Figure 11(A)): Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and San Bartolome de Tiranjana (16 and 15 ADA, respectively)
We present a methodology, named Vulnerable Elements Activity Maps (VEAM), for the generation of impact assessment maps starting from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR)-derived displacement data

Summary

Introduction

An integrated risk management chain needs the exchange of information and experience between public authorities (i.e. Civil Protection entities) and research structures (universities and research centres) to guarantee the interconnection between the natural system and the anthropic elements at risk (Salvati et al 2016). One of the key features for every geohazard risk analysis and for providing useful information to the Civil Protection authorities is the definition of where and with which magnitude a certain geohazard is affecting a territory at different spatial scales, ranging from a single city to an entire region. In this framework, the radar remote sensing technique is suited for the multiscale analysis of ground deformations (Fell et al 2008). The temporal and spatial resolution of the PSI products has been exploited to define the state of activity of geohazards and update pre-existent geohazard inventories in order to provide useful information for the risk management and urban planning of a region or a municipality (e.g. Roessner et al 2005; H€olbling et al 2012; Righini et al 2012; Barra et al 2016; Bianchini et al 2016; Calvello et al 2016; Ciampalini et al 2016; Raspini et al 2016)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion