Small scale surface deformation detection of the Gulf of Corinth (Hellas) using Permanent Scatterers technique

Abstract

The Permanent Scatterers (PS) technique, invented by Politechnico di Milano research team, is an approach that minimises the undesirable noise components in the classic InSAR technique, such as spatial and temporal decorrelations, signal delay due to tropospheric and ionospheric disturbances, orbital errors as well as topographical errors. This approach is suitable for the measurement of near vertical displacements of the order of ~1 mm per year. It exploits almost all of the available SAR interferometric data over an area and requires availability of natural and/or artificial permanent scatterers. In this study we describe the implementation of the PS technique, called PerSePHONE (Permanent Scatterers Project Held by the Observatory, National, of Hellas). Its development has been based on a number of algorithmic adaptations, as well as new approaches in PS candidate selection. An example of this implementation is shown for the case of the Corinth Rift area (Hellas).