Measuring human-induced land subsidence from space
January 1, 2003
Satellite Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a revolutionary technique that allows scientists to measure and map changes on the Earth's surface as small as a few millimeters. By bouncing radar signals off the ground surface from the same point in space but at different times, the radar satellite can measure the change in distance between the satellite and ground (range change) as the land surface uplifts or subsides. Maps of relative ground-surface change (interferograms) are constructed from the InSAR data to help scientists understand how ground-water pumping, hydrocarbon production, or other human activities cause the land surface to uplift or subside. Interferograms developed by the USGS for study areas in California, Nevada, and Texas are used in this fact sheet to demonstrate some of the applications of InSAR to assess human-induced land deformation
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2003 |
---|---|
Title | Measuring human-induced land subsidence from space |
DOI | 10.3133/fs06903 |
Authors | Gerald W. Bawden, Michelle Sneed, Sylvia V. Stork, Devin L. Galloway |
Publication Type | Report |
Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
Series Title | Fact Sheet |
Series Number | 069-03 |
Index ID | fs06903 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | California Water Science Center; Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center |
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Michelle Sneed
Technical Support Coordinator for Groundwater Science
Technical Support Coordinator for Groundwater Science
Email
Phone
Sylvia Stork (Former Employee)
Hydrologist/Data Administrator
Hydrologist/Data Administrator
Related
Michelle Sneed
Technical Support Coordinator for Groundwater Science
Technical Support Coordinator for Groundwater Science
Email
Phone
Sylvia Stork (Former Employee)
Hydrologist/Data Administrator
Hydrologist/Data Administrator