Monitoring and modeling land subsidence at the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Field, Baja California, Mexico, using SAR interferometry

Abstract

Images derived from repeat‐pass spaceborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) systems offer the possibility of mapping surface deformation of small spatial extent and monitoring its spatio‐temporal evolution. A slow local subsidence has been detected at the Cerro Prieto geothermal field from images acquired by the European Space Agency remote sensing satellites ERS‐1/2 between 1993 and 1997. Although agricultural activity in the area limited the investigation, interferometric monitoring revealed that the ground deformation is associated with the withdrawal of geothermal fluid and agreed with the leveling data. Modeling of the subsidence was carried out assuming elastic deformation in a half‐space from simple point sources, of which five were necessary to reproduce the fringe patterns observed on the interferograms. The depths and locations of three of the sources are compatible with the location of the known reservoir. The study improves prior knowledge of the displacement field and of the mecanisms involved in the subsidence phenomenon.

Ground deformation detection of the greater area of Thessaloniki (Northern Greece) using radar interferometry techniques

“…Repeat-pass space-borne SAR interferometry (InSAR) is a unique tool for large-scale monitoring (spatially continuous) of surface deformation at a low cost (Massonnet et al, 1993;Zebker et al, 1994), and particularly for subsidence regardless of its cause (Avallone et al, 1999;Carnec and Fabriol, 1999;Carnec and Delacourt, 2000;Fielding et al, 1998;Wright and Stow, 1999). Subsidence effects in urban areas generated by natural or anthropogenic causes have already been detected and reported using the conventional repeatpass InSAR technique (Amelung et al, 1999;Fruneau and780 D. Raucoules et al: Ground deformation monitoring of the Thessaloniki area Raucoules et al, 2003a and b;Tesauro et al, 2000).…”

Spatio-temporal evolution of aseismic ground deformation in the Mexicali Valley (Baja California, Mexico) from 1993 to 2010, using differential SAR interferometry

“…Ground deformation in the Mexicali Valley has also been measured and monitored using the DInSAR technique (Carnec and Fabriol, 1999;Hanssen, 2001;Sarychikhina et al, 2011. Carnec and Fabriol (1999) and Hanssen (2001) used ERS1/2 images acquired during 1993-97 and 1995-97, respectively.…”

“…Carnec and Fabriol (1999) and Hanssen (2001) used ERS1/2 images acquired during 1993-97 and 1995-97, respectively. Significant local subsidence has been detected.…”

“…Ground deformation related to geothermal energy production has been observed and studied in many geothermal fields all over the world (e.g. Mossop and Segall, 1997;Carnec and Fabriol, 1999;Fialko and Simons, 2000;Hole et al, 2007;Allis et al, 2009;Keiding et al, 2009). Ground deformation associated with geothermal energy production can be reduced or controled through monitoring combined with aquifer management (Lowe, 2012).…”

“…Differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry (DIn-SAR) is a space-based geodetic technique widely applied for large-scale monitoring (spatially continuous) of ground deformation at a low cost (Massonnet and Rabaute, 1993;Zebker et al, 1994;Massonnet and Feigl, 1998), and particularly for subsidence regardless of its cause (Massonnet et al, 1997;Fielding et al, 1998;Avallone et al, 1999;Carnec and Fabriol, 1999;Wright and Stow, 1999;Carnec and Delacourt, 2000). Compared with ground-based geodetic techniques, such as precise leveling and GPS surveys, which provide accurate and precise information but only at a number of measuring points in a deforming surface, DInSAR allows detecting, measuring and monitoring ground deformation over large areas (∼ 10 4 km 2 ) with fine spatial resolution (∼ 10 2 m 2 ) and high accuracy (∼ 1 cm) (Gabriel et al, 1989;Bürgmann et al, 2000;Hanssen, 2001).…”