Hybrid InSARTrac for monitoring interglacial movement patterns

Abstract

InSARTrac is a hybrid 3D monitoring method, for which controlled field measurements have indicated significant potential for geotechnical applications. Various approaches can be taken to derive 3D displacements from InSAR measurements, such as combining multiple InSAR ascending and descending satellite passes or combining multi-geometrical radar datasets from ground and satellite based radars. InSARTrac is a cost-effective solution requiring only one terrestrial InSAR device and a camera used for feature tracking. This study summarizes the results of glacial displacement measurements that were conducted to test the InSARTrac methodology. The InSARTrac 3D displacement vectors show details concerning glacial retreat dynamics related to a combination of ice flow and volume loss. By extrapolating prior results obtained from controlled field measurements, the resultant displacement vector orientations have an estimated angular error of approximately 5 degrees. With a fixed camera mount and longer monitoring times this error can be further reduced. Current studies are focused on deploying InSARTrac to investigate its potential for landslide and geostructure monitoring.