On the variations of InSAR-ICA altitudes in a mountain area of the Sele Valley (South Italy)

Abstract

The ERS-1/ERS-2 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data are processed by InSAR-ICA technique and the altitude<br />variations are calculated for the period June-December 1995. For the same period and the same ERS-<br />1/ERS-2 SAR data, the nominal surface deformations are calculated by the standard DInSAR (Differential Interferometric<br />SAR) method, considered without any atmospheric correction. The results of the two different processing<br />techniques are qualitatively compared with the previous geological and hydrological observations of the<br />area under study. It is shown how the InSAR-ICA altitude variations are in better agreement with the expected<br />characterization of this region. Although these variations cannot be considered quantitative precise surface deformations<br />at present, this finding is interpreted in terms of usefulness and reliability of InSAR-ICA altitude estimations.

Keywords

• Synthetic Aperture Radar interferometry – Independent Component Analysis – ground deformations – landslides – subsidences