Identification and Analysis of Anomalous Ground Movements in Urban and Rural Areas Using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry in Southern Hesse, Germany

Abstract

Thanks to the open publication in recent years, the general public can now view and evaluate ground motion data. However, the data offered in web portals are often only optimized for display, and there is no automatic detection of hotspots and their analysis. In this study, ground motion patterns are investigated using persistent scatterer interferometry data from the Ground Motion Service Germany. We focus on the identification of regions with significant ground motion in cities using a ground motion analyzer, time series analysis, and external data. A case study in Frankfurt am Main shows significant subsidence in the city presumably due to groundwater extraction during the construction phase of various buildings. Another case study in Crumstadt in the northern Upper Rhine Graben reveals pronounced seasonal fluctuations, probably due to factors, such as temperature and activity in a nearby underground storage facility. We show that it is important to include external data, such as temperature, precipitation, and gas storage levels in order to comprehensively analyze the causes of ground movements. Our results contribute to understanding and mitigating the effects of ground motion and highlight the need to analyze time-varying motion in addition to linear velocities.

Keywords

• Ground motion service
• time series
• urban subsidence
• visualization