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IUGG XXIV General Assembly July 2-13, 2007 Perugia, Italy<br />

(S) - <strong>IASPEI</strong> - International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's<br />

Interior<br />

JSS003 Poster presentation 1879<br />

Millimetric ground movements from space radars: European Space<br />

Agencys GMES TERRAFIRMA PROJECT<br />

Dr. Chris Browitt<br />

Geoscience Edinburgh University <strong>IASPEI</strong><br />

Alice Walker<br />

In the early 2000s, following almost a decade of using differential interferograms to observe centimetric<br />

ground movements, particularly for earthquakes, the Polytecnico Milano, and its spin-out company TRE,<br />

pioneered a new processing approach which has yielded results at a millimetric scale. With around 30<br />

radar scenes utilized, rather than two, a longer term, high precision view is obtainable, with widespread<br />

applications. These range from deformation in earthquake and volcanic zones, ground vulnerability<br />

mapping and landslide risk assessment, to geotechnical issues in relation to groundwater abstraction<br />

and recharge, compressible soils, mines and engineered excavations. Differential subsidence observed<br />

in alluvial flood plains can lead to improved flood risk assessments as is evident from the application of<br />

this Persistent Scatterer INSAR technique in New Orleans. In order to build more awareness of this<br />

potential, the European Space Agency has sponsored a project, entitled GMES Terrafirma, to capitalize<br />

on its ERS1, ERS2 and ENVISAT data archives. Many city and landslide sites in Europe have already<br />

been processed to reveal their ground movement histories for up to 14 years, and by the end of 2007 it<br />

is intended that every European Union country will have at least one city, with satellite radar coverage<br />

processed to reveal small ground movements of around 1 millimetre per year. That information will be<br />

in the hands of national geoscience centres and engineers for expert interpretation utlilising their own<br />

data and expertise. They, in turn, will engage with the relevant authorities in their countries to ensure<br />

take up, and action on the hazards revealed which will be seen in great detail; in many cases, for the<br />

first time. It is intended that these national cities will lead to national initiatives for further studies<br />

across each country, and that the examples will be shared across borders to ensure that the community<br />

of Europe benefits from the experience of its collective experts and from our European Space Agencys<br />

investments in leading edge technology for practical purposes.<br />

Keywords: deformation, radar, satellite

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