Permanent Global Positioning System Research Articles

Enhanced neural network model for regional ionospheric modeling and evaluation under different solar-geomagnetic conditions

Monitoring spatiotemporal variations of ionospheric vertical total electron content (VTEC) is crucial for space weather and satellite positioning. In the present study, an enhanced neural network (ENN) model is proposed to capture the changing characteristics of ionospheric VTEC and compared with the traditional mathematical models, i.e. the POLYnomial (POLY) model, generalized trigonometric series function and spherical harmonic function (SHF) model. The ionospheric VTEC data obtained from 31 permanent global positioning system stations in the southwest region of China on 26 August and 8 September, 2017, were used to test the performance of the mentioned models under different Solar-geomagnetic conditions. The ENN model is derived from the ensemble learning method, and the disadvantage that simple backpropagation neural network learners that are not robust enough is weakened by the ENN model. After statistical analysis and single-frequency precise point positioning (SF-PPP) experiments, it is demonstrated that the ENN model is superior to the above three mathematical models, regardless of the solar-geomagnetic conditions. In terms of mean absolute error, root mean square error, standard deviation, and mean absolute percentage error, the ENN model outperforms the SHF model, which is the best mathematical model in the analysis, by 40.7%, 30.20%, 29.88%, 38.04% under quiet solar-geomagnetic conditions, and by 37.66%, 29.93%, 30.96%, 32.01% under active solar-geomagnetic conditions. In addition, the accuracy of the SF-PPP is greatly affected by the error caused by ionosphere. In the static SF-PPP experiment of this study, the ENN model can better correct ionospheric error. Under quiet and active solar-geomagnetic conditions, the SF-PPP accuracy can be improved by 85.1% and 85.2% with the ionosphere delay correction from the ENN model.

An artificial neural network model in predicting VTEC over central Anatolia in Turkey

This research investigates the capability of artificial neural networks to predict vertical total electron content (VTEC) over central Anatolia in Turkey. The VTEC dataset was derived from the 19 permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) stations belonging to the Turkish National Permanent GPS Network-Active (TUSAGA-Aktif) and International Global Navigation Satellite System Service (IGS) networks. The study area is located at 32.6°E-37.5°E and 36.0°N-42.0°N. Considering the factors inducing VTEC variations in the ionosphere, an artificial neural network (NN) with seven input neurons in a multi-layer perceptron model is proposed. The KURU and ANMU GPS stations from the TUSAGA-Aktif network are selected to implement the proposed neural network model. Based on the root mean square error (RMSE) results from 50 simulation tests, the hidden layer in the NN model is designed with 41 neurons since the lowest RMSE is achieved in this attempt. According to the correlation coefficients, absolute and relative errors, the NN VTEC provides better predictions for hourly and quarterly GPS VTEC. In addition, this paper demonstrates that the NN VTEC model shows better performance than the global IRI2016 model. Regarding the spatial contribution of the GPS network to TEC prediction, the KURU station performs better than ANMU station in fitting with the proposed NN model in the station-based comparison.

Deep learning of GPS geodetic velocity

Installing permanent global positioning system (GPS) stations and receiving and monitoring long-term crustal deformation requires a high cost. Another solution, which could be an appropriate alternative, is applying some modern and smart estimation methods such as deep learning of artificial neural networks (DLANN). Based on the observations of the 42 GPS permanent stations in NW Iran, the velocity vectors of stations are estimated in unknown locations by four methods: back propagation of artificial neural networks (BPANN), least square collocation (LSC), Bat algorithm (BA) and random forest algorithm (RFA). BPANN has better performance and less variance than RFA, and the largest difference is in the gap areas, which estimates each vector method differently and it is preferred not to estimate these areas. The performances of LSC and BA algorithm is not better than BPANN. Therefore, it seems that the BPANN method can be considered as a suitable option for estimating the geodetic velocity field compared to other methods.

Regional Assimilation of GPS-Derived TEC into GIMs

Global ionosphere models may not be accurate enough in regions where there are insufficient observations. Therefore, there is strong interest in regional ionosphere modeling using observations from dual-frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers in such regions. This paper presents a data assimilation method for hourly total electron content (TEC) modeling along with estimation of the receivers’ differential code biases (DCBs). For this purpose, first, initial values for slant TEC (STEC) and the receivers’ DCBs are estimated utilizing global ionosphere maps (GIMs). Second, STEC is expanded to a linear combination of spherical radial basis functions with time-dependent coefficients to reduce the number of unknowns, and a constrained least-squares adjustment is applied to resolve the corrected STEC and DCB values in the study area using observations from dual-frequency GNSS receivers. Third, the resolved STEC at ionospheric pierce points (IPPs) are converted to vertical TEC (VTEC) using a mapping function and assimilated into the background provided by spatial and temporal interpolation of GIM. Retrieved VTECs are weighted according to the satellites’ elevation angles, and an objective function is defined to determine the background’s covariance matrix. In this study, the Iranian permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) network is used to construct the regional hourly VTEC model and calculate hourly DCB variations. The proposed method is validated in two ways. First, some of the VTEC values are excluded from the dataset for use as test data and compared with modeling results. The root mean square (RMS) of the constructed regional assimilative model on test data is significantly better than GIM. Second, the RINEX file of Tehran station, whose observations did not play a role in modeling, is corrected using the regional model. The single-frequency positioning results with corrected observations show much better accuracy than GIMs.

Implementation of Non-Linear Non-Parametric Persistent Scatterer Interferometry and Its Robustness for Displacement Monitoring.

To derive surface displacement, interferometric stacking with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data is commonly used, and this technique is now in the implementation phase in the real world. Persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) is one of the most universal approaches among in- terferometric stacking techniques, and non-linear non-parametric PSI (NN-PSI) was proposed to overcome the drawbacks of PSI approaches. The estimation of the non-linear displacements was successfully conducted using NN-PSI. However, the estimation of NN-PSI is not always stable with certain displacements because wider range of the velocity spectrum is used in NN-PSI than the conventional approaches; therefore, a calculation procedure and parameter optimization are needed to consider. In this paper, optimized parameters and procedures of NN-PSI are proposed, and real data processing with Sentinel-1 in the Kanto region in Japan was conducted. We confirmed that the displacement estimation was comparable to the measurement of the permanent global positioning system (GPS) stations, and the root mean square error between the GPS measurement and NN-PSI estimation was less than 3 mm in two years. The displacement over 2 ambiguity, which the conventional PSI approach wrongly reconstructed, was also quantitatively validated and successfully estimated by NN-PSI. As a result of the real data processing, periodical displacements were also reconstructed through NN-PSI. We concluded that the NN-PSI approach with the proposed parameters and method enabled the estimation of several types of surface displacements that conventional PSI approaches could not reconstruct.

GPS derived crustal velocity, tectonic deformation and strain in the Indian Himalayan arc

The present study elucidates velocity of the Indian plate from 2013 to 2016 with the help of six continuously operating permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) stations and tracks the crustal motion and direction directly by means of space-based geodetic measurements. The GPS derived velocity estimates were computed with respect to 2008 International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF 08) and carried out almost all along the arc in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). The velocity vectors indicate that the Indian plate is moving towards the NE direction (average velocity of 46.95 ± 0.23 mm/yr) with higher movement towards the eastward direction (36.11 ± 0.17 mm/yr) compared to the northward direction (29.02 ± 0.16 mm/yr). Variations in the plate motion between IISC and permanent GPS stations suggest that presently, the convergence rate is about 8.06 ± 0.28 mm/yr and 5.71 ± 0.17 mm/yr for Higher Himalaya and Lesser Himalaya respectively. In addition, the deformation rate was also calculated on the basis of baseline shortening between IGS stations (IISC and LHAZ) and permanent GPS stations. The results suggest that the deformation is about 11.68 ± 1.32 mm/yr above the Main Central Thrust (MCT) and 6.74 ± 1.20 mm/yr above the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) with respect to the Indian plate (IISC), while it is 20.60 ± 1.76 mm/yr above the MCT and 11.42 ± 1.21 mm/yr above the MBT with respect to Eurasian plate (LHAZ). The strain rate through GPS measurement reveals that the maximum strain is accumulated in the central part of the Himalaya between the MBT and MCT, indicating vulnerability of the central Indian Himalaya for future earthquakes.

Seismicity and Active Faulting around the Metropolitan Area of Athens, Greece

ABSTRACTThe existence of active faults near large cities poses significant risk to the life and property of its inhabitants as well as to its public infrastructure. Here, we investigate the interplay between seismicity, active faulting, and interseismic strain accumulation within a radius of ∼50 km from the metropolitan area of Athens, the capital of Greece. We find that during the period 2011–2018, a total of 4722 earthquakes were recorded, the majority of which had local magnitudes <3.0 with only four events being of moderate magnitude (ML 4.1–4.3). Precise relative locations with horizontal and vertical errors of ≤1 and 2 km, respectively, were obtained for 2666 of these events using the double-difference algorithm. Earthquake relocation was compared to the surface traces of 31 active and 49 “less-active” normal faults drawn from high-resolution (∼5 m pixel size) digital elevation models and complemented by analysis of geodetic data from 30 permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) stations. Joint analysis of these datasets suggests that microseismicity mostly clusters along the “less-active” faults, whereas the faults associated with impressive postglacial scarps (indicating recent activity) and historic seismicity are mostly quiet. Interestingly, GPS data indicate that both fault types currently accumulate elastic strain that ranges from 0.5 to 2.3 mm/yr. Based on their estimated rupture area, more than half of the recorded faults (N=54) are capable of generating earthquakes with moment magnitudes between 6.0 and 6.6. Although some of these sources are characterized by impressive postglacial scarps, many others have long earthquake recurrence intervals (i.e., have not ruptured during the past ∼16 ka) and are associated with intense microseismicity and elastic strain accumulation, calling for future investigations on their seismogenic potential.

Subsurface Water Dominates Sierra Nevada Seasonal Hydrologic Storage

AbstractVertical displacements (dz) in permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) station positions enable estimation of water storage changes (ΔS), which historically have been impossible to measure directly. We use dz from 924 GPS stations in the western United States to estimate daily ΔS in California's Sierra Nevada and compare it to seasonal snow accumulation and melt over water years 2008–2017. Seasonal variations in GPS‐based ΔS are ~1,000 mm. Typically, only ~30% of ΔS is attributable to snow water equivalent (SWE). ΔS lags the snow cycle, peaking after maximum SWE and remaining positive when all snow has melted (SWE = 0). We conclude that seasonal ΔS fluctuations are not primarily driven by SWE but by rainfall and snowmelt stored in the shallow subsurface (as soil moisture and/or groundwater) and released predominantly through evapotranspiration. Seasonal peak GPS ΔS is larger than accumulated precipitation from the Parameter‐elevation Relationships on Independent Slopes Model and North American Land Data Assimilation System, indicating that these standard inputs underestimate mountain precipitation.

Assessment of Sea Level Rise at West Coast of Portugal Mainland and Its Projection for the 21st Century

Based on the updated relative sea level rise rates, 21st-century projections are made for the west coast of Portugal Mainland. The mean sea level from Cascais tide gauge and North Atlantic satellite altimetry data have been analyzed. Through bootstrapping linear regression and polynomial adjustments, mean sea level time series were used to calculate different empirical projections for sea level rise, by estimating the initial velocity and its corresponding acceleration. The results are consistent with an accelerated sea level rise, showing evidence of a faster rise than previous century estimates. Based on different numerical methods of second order polynomial fitting, it is possible to build a set of projection models of relative sea level rise. Applying the same methods to regional sea level anomaly from satellite altimetry, additional projections are also built with good consistency. Both data sets, tide gauge and satellite altimetry data, enabled the development of an ensemble of projection models. The relative sea level rise projections are crucial for national coastal planning and management since extreme sea level scenarios can potentially cause erosion and flooding. Based on absolute vertical velocities obtained by integrating global sea level models, neo-tectonic studies, and permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) station time series, it is possible to transform relative into absolute sea level rise scenarios, and vice-versa, allowing the generation of absolute sea level rise projection curves and its comparison with already established global projections. The sea level rise observed at the Cascais tide gauge has always shown a significant correlation with global sea level rise observations, evidencing relatively low rates of vertical land velocity and residual synoptic regional dynamic effects. An ensemble of sea level projection models for the 21st century is proposed with its corresponding probability density function, both for relative and absolute sea level rise for the west coast of Portugal Mainland. A mean sea level rise of 1.14 m was obtained for the epoch of 2100, with a likely range of 95% of probability between 0.39 m and 1.89 m.

Vertical land motion and relative sea level changes along the coastline of Brest (France) from combined space-borne geodetic methods

In spite of the recent advances and the current perspectives of satellite radar altimetry to reach the coastline and monitor coastal sea level changes, this space-borne technology remains geocentric by essence. In contrast, the quantity that matters for coastal management and society is relative sea level. That is, the sea level relative to the land, as measured by conventional tide gauges. However, two important issues are associated with the use of tide gauges. First, supplemental information is required to separate vertical land motion from ocean climate signals in tide gauge records, and hence to understand the causes of future coastal sea level changes and their relative importance. This can be provided by space-borne geodetic techniques, for instance installing a permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna at the tide gauge. Second, vertical land motion can show local spatial patterns, which limits the spatial validity of the point-wise information at the GPS station. Using Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and high-precision GPS data, the above-mentioned limitations were addressed in the case study of Brest (France). Our findings show that, over the past decades, Brest and its surroundings are overall stable, in agreement with the geological setting, except for the embankment areas of the commercial and military harbours. The GPS-calibrated InSAR results were then further combined with geocentric satellite radar altimetry data to obtain relative sea level trends along the Brest coastline with an unprecedented high-spatial resolution of 200 m. Our approach is applicable beyond the case study of Brest, especially in coastal areas where tide gauge data are not available, provided satellite data are.

Analysis of a GPS Network Based on Functional Data Analysis

This paper demonstrates the usefulness of approaching the dynamic study of the precise positioning of a network of permanent global positioning system (GPS) stations through functional data analysis. The displacement data for each GPS station, obtained from observations of the global navigation satellite system, are a discrete sample of the positioning curve. The aim of this paper is to reconstruct the original functions in order to use them as functional data. In the method presented in this paper, the geodetic series are obtained first by processing the GPS data with respect to a reference station. Second, for each station, a cleaning process is applied to eliminate the values considered as outliers, and the missing values are imputed by using a Kalman filter. Finally, the original functions are reconstructed by using smoothing techniques and by evaluating several bases of functions. Moreover, these functions are treated with statistical techniques for functional data. This procedure is applied to the permanent stations of the south of the Iberian peninsula and the north of Africa (SPINA) network. The topocentric series: east, north and up are analysed. In the analysis of the positioning curves, there is observed a synchronized behaviour of the functions in those periods of time with important seismic activity. This behaviour also appears in the analysis of the second principal component of the East and up dimensions. Furthermore, the first two principal components of the East coordinate enable us to make a classification of the stations in the SPINA network. The classification made is consistent with the previous knowledge of the tectonic plates in the studied area.

The triangulated affine transformation parameters and barycentric coordinates of Turkish Permanent GPS Network

There are several computational approaches and methods to produce the complete solutions of geometry problems and they give sufficient computational strength for geodetic networks. Every approach and method has their advantages and drawbacks. Barycentric coordinates, also called areal coordinates, provide a new knock approach for geometry problems of such networks. This coordinate system offers triangular finite elements which are quite different from the usual Cartesian coordinate system. Actually, barycentric coordinates are a natural system of coordinates for the affine geometry. The modified approach for the affine transformation and barycentric coordinate system has been introduced and discussed, respectively in the study whether the affine transformation improves the results deteriorated by geometry of a GPS network. For this aim, general affine transformation of six-parameters between Eurasia Fixed Reference Frame (EUREF) and International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) for Turkish Permanent Global Positioning System Network (TPGN) has been computed. The affine transformation results show that the effects of the first and second translation parameters are in negative and positive directions, respectively. The third and sixth parameters are almost constant, on the other hand the fourth and fifth have a very small positive effect. Additionally, three triangular networks of GPS stations, at different locations in Turkey as a numerical example of barycentric coordinates, have also been presented. In the numerical example, the coordinate values of EUREF and ITRF have some differences after the decimal point, but the barycentric coordinates have very small amount of differences (sixth digit after decimal) which proves that the modified approach is meaningful.

Sustainable Surface Deformation Related with 2006 Augustine Volcano Eruption in Alaska Measured Using GPS and InSAR Techniques

Augustine volcano, located along the Aleutian Arc, is one of the most active volcanoes in Alaska and nearby islands, with seven eruptions occurring between 1812 and 2006. This study monitored the surface displacement before and after the most recent 2006 eruption. For analysis, we conducted a time-series analysis on data observed at the permanent GPS(Global Positioning System) observation stations in Augustine Island between 2005 and 2011. According to the surface displacement analysis results based on GPS data, the movement of the surface inflation at the average speed of 2.3 cm/year three months prior to the eruption has been clearly observed, with the post-eruption surface deflation at the speed of 1.6 cm/year. To compare surface displacements measurement by GPS observation, ENVISAT(Environmental satellite) radar satellite data were collected between 2003 and 2010 and processed the SBAS(Small Baseline Subset) method, one of the time-series analysis techniques using multiple InSAR(Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) data sets. This result represents 0.97 correlation value between GPS and InSAR time-series surface displacements. This research has been completed precise surface deformation using GPS and time-series InSAR methods for a detection of precursor symptom on Augustine volcano.

Comparative study of GPS-TEC smoothing techniques

The availability of permanent global positioning system (GPS) stations makes the ionosphere monitoring and space weather studies more attainable. In order to obtain precise ionosphere total electron content (TEC) measurements, a smoothing technique has to be used. The objective of this research is to examine the accuracy and performance of two different TEC smoothing techniques; the carrier phase smoothed code and code levelled carrier phase techniques. GPS data from three stations in North America, located in different latitudes, are used. The accuracy of the smoothed TEC is compared with international GNSS service global ionospheric maps (IGS-GIM) and national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) ionospheric maps. The results reveal that the accuracy of the estimated TEC from the phase-smoothed code method depends upon the quality of data, number of observations used in the smoothing interval, receiver and satellite differential code biases (DCB). The levelled carrier phase method produces more calibrated TEC, however, with the influence of the systematic errors and the differential code biases.

Rescue of the historical sea level record of Marseille (France) from 1885 to 1988 and its extension back to 1849–1851

This paper describes the historical sea level data that we have rescued from a tide gauge, especially devised originally for geodesy. This gauge was installed in Marseille in 1884 with the primary objective of defining the origin of the height system in France. Hourly values for 1885–1988 have been digitized from the original tidal charts. They are supplemented by hourly values from an older tide gauge record (1849–1851) that was rediscovered during a survey in 2009. Both recovered data sets have been critically edited for errors and their reliability assessed. The hourly values are thoroughly analysed for the first time after their original recording. A consistent high-frequency time series is reported, increasing notably the length of one of the few European sea level records in the Mediterranean Sea spanning more than one hundred years. Changes in sea levels are examined, and previous results revisited with the extended time series. The rate of relative sea level change for the period 1849–2012 is estimated to have been \(1.08\pm 0.04\) mm/year at Marseille, a value that is slightly lower but in close agreement with the longest time series of Brest over the common period (\(1.26\pm 0.04\) mm/year). The data from a permanent global positioning system station installed on the roof of the solid tide gauge building suggests a remarkable stability of the ground (\(-0.04\pm 0.25\) mm/year) since 1998, confirming the choice made by our predecessor geodesists in the nineteenth century regarding this site selection.

Optimal observational planning of local GPS networks: assessing an analytical method

AbstractPrecision, reliability and cost are the major criteria applied in optimization and design of geodetic networks. The terrestrial networks are being replaced quickly by permanent and campaign Global Positioning System (GPS) networks. These networks must be optimized using the same three criteria. In this article the optimization of the observational plan of local GPS networks (Second Order Design (SOD)) is considered using the precision criterion. This study is limited to the selection of optimal numbers and the best distribution of the non-trivial baselines throughout the network. This objective is accomplished based on the SOD solution through the analytical method in operational research by the means of quadratic programming algorithm. This presented method is tested on a real GPS network and appears to be a useful technique in terms of cost reduction in the field work by the provided observational plan and optimal distribution of the baselines throughout the network. Results indicate that weights of almost 36% of the baselines are negligiblewhen compared to the weights of the rest of the baselines; therefore, they could be eliminated fromthe observational plan, resulting in a 36% saving in the fieldwork cost.

High nonlinear urban ground motion in Manila (Philippines) from 1993 to 2010 observed by DInSAR: Implications for sea-level measurement

In coastal low-lying urban areas, vertical ground motions can significantly exacerbate the hazards related to sea-level rise. However, their spatial extent, their temporal evolution, and even sometimes their existence are often poorly known. This study aims to monitor variable urban ground motion (uplift and subsidence) from 1993 to 2010 in the metropolitan area of Manila, Philippines. Because high subsidence rates have been reported in this city in previous studies, conventional Differential SAR Interferometry (DInSAR) was applied with an adapted stacking procedure to the archive of ERS and Envisat satellite images to produce surface deformation-velocity maps for different periods. The results showed that the city is locally affected by vertical ground motions on the order of 15cm/yr. Moreover, the spatio-temporal evolution of the ground-motion phenomena is highly nonlinear. These results are in good agreement with previous studies focused on groundwater use in Manila and in the Marikina Fault Valley, suggesting a plausible interpretation of the processes causing surface motion. Incidentally, the ground motions are affecting the locations of several geodetic instruments, including a tide gauge with sea-level records starting in 1902, two permanent GPS (Global Positioning System) stations, and a DORIS (Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite) station. A major implication of those large and locally variable ground motions is that they impede the use of the nearby GPS and DORIS data to correct the tide-gauge records and to derive robust sea-level trends associated with climate change.

Thirteen years of integrated precipitable water derived by GPS at Mario Zucchelli Station, Antarctica

<p>Since 1998, the Italian Antarctic Programme has been funding space geodetic activities based on the use of episodic and permanent global positioning system (GPS) observations. As well as their exploitation in geodynamics, these data can be used to sense the atmosphere and to retrieve and monitor its water vapor content and variations. The surface pressure p and temperature Ts at the GPS tracking sites are necessary to compute the zenith hydrostatic delay (ZHD), and consequently, the precipitable water. At sites where no surface information is recorded, the p and Ts values can be retrieved from, e.g., global numerical weather prediction models. Alternatively, the site-specific ZHD values can be computed by interpolation of the ZHD values provided in a grid model (2.5° × 2.0°). We have processed the data series of the permanent GPS site TNB1 (Mario Zucchelli Station, Antarctica) from 1998 to 2010, with the purpose of comparing the use of grid ZHD values as an alternative to the use of real surface records. With these approaches, we estimate almost 7 × 10<span><sup>4</sup></span> hourly values of precipitable water over 13 years, and we find discrepancies that vary between 1.8 (±0.2) mm in summer and 3.3 (±0.5) mm in winter. In addition, the discrepancies of the two solutions show a clear seasonal dependency. Radiosounding measurements were used to derive an independent series of precipitable water. These agree better with the GPS precipitable water derived from real surface data. However, the GPS precipitable water time series is dry biased, as it is ca. 77% of the total moisture measured by the radiosoundings. Both the GPS and radiosounding observations are processed through the most up-to-date strategies, to reduce known systematic errors.</p>

Erosion effects assessed by repeated gravity measurements in southern Taiwan

We analyse temporal variations of gravity measured in southern Taiwan since November 2006 at 10 sites using absolute gravimeters and, since November 2008, at 70 sites using a relative gravimeter. We describe and apply methods to interpret the gravity changes in terms of local hydrological processes and vertical ground motions. The effect of land water is computed from local rainfall data and a model of rain accumulation and discharge in the ground. The effect of the vertical motions of the ground is estimated using time-series of permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) stations and the theoretical gravity to height ratio of −2 μGal cm−1. Unexpectedly, Morakot typhoon (2009 August), the strongest typhoon in Taiwan in 50 yr, was responsible for the highest gravity changes. Morakot triggered numerous large landslides and debris flow deposits. Their thicknesses are estimated from the gravity changes (up to ∼280 μGal) along with field observations and satellite images.

Land subsidence along the Ionian coast of SE Sicily (Italy), detection and analysis via Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) multitemporal differential SAR interferometry

ABSTRACTThe paper presents the results of a multi‐temporal, differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) analysis aiming to identify active surface deformation phenomena in south‐eastern Sicily. The study area has been chosen because of its strong seismicity, high concentration of industrial and agricultural activities, and high density of people living in the coastal area. Furthermore, the morphology, lithology and climatic features of this sector of the Hyblean foreland are suitable for an interferometric analysis, providing a high coherence over the area. The Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) multitemporal DInSAR technique was used to calculate mean ground velocity maps and displacement time series from a large data set of European Remote Sensing Satellites (ERS 1–2) images spanning the time period 1992–2000. The reliability of the DInSAR results was tested calculating the EastSAR and UpSAR values over two permanent global positioning system (GPS) stations in the area, and comparing them with the EastGPS and UpGPS values. The residuals between GPS and DInSAR velocities were 1 and 0.6 mm/yr for the Up and East components, respectively. Four main subsiding areas, previously undetected, have been identified, corresponding with the towns of Augusta, Siracusa, Priolo, and Villasmundo. The observed deformation phenomena are located within coastal structural basins, filled with Pleistocene and Holocence deposits, except the Villasmundo land subsidence, which is located on the Hyblean plateau. The measured deformation rates reach values up to −18 mm/yr in Augusta, –6 mm/yr in Siracusa, –5 mm/yr in Villasmundo and −4.5 mm/yr in Priolo. The examination of velocity profiles, time series, and geological data allows us to relate all the detected deformation patterns primarily to groundwater over‐exploitation. A multi‐dimensional interpolation with kriging was performed to obtain a field subsidence map. A first‐order elastic deformation model was used to simulate the peculiar features of the Villasmundo subsidence. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.