From EGMS Data to a Differential Deformation Map For Buildings at Continent Level

Abstract

The European Ground Motion Service (EGMS) uses Sentinel-1 data to monitor and measure land displacement on a European scale, providing accurate and consistent data on ground motion phenomena. Since 2022, three types of EGMS products have been made available to all users in a free and open-access manner via the Copernicus platform. As a result, analysis of spatial gradients of displacements is achievable by using reliable and annually updated information on ground motion, particularly in urban areas.The Geomatics research unit of the Center Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC) is working on a project with the main purpose of computing the spatial gradient of land deformation and generating a wide-area Differential Deformation map that allows identifying buildings and urban structures that could potentially be vulnerable to damage. The final output of the project will be made available to the public through a web server. The project involves configuring a self-hosted, low-cost web server using open-source tools; developing software pipelines to compute the spatial gradient of deformation and convert deformation data; and setting up a tailored web visor to display the results. Because the project must manage a large volume of data with millions of Measurement Points (MP) and extensive processing times, automation is critical to its success. The obtained information is not only beneficial for monitoring anthropogenic phenomena, but it is also vital for urban management and risk mitigation planning.