InSAR for Crustal Deformations

 

Summary of Activities

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a satellite based radar remote sensing technology that is able to measure fine ground deformations with very high spatial resolution (from 1 meter to tens of meters) and ground coverage. The research in this area aims to further develop the technology to improve its accuracy and reliability performance and to apply the technology to study ground and structural deformations. The research group has established close collaborative relationships with a number of international research groups and has carried out consultancy projects in Hong Kong and other countries.

The technological services that we provide include:

  • Development of InSAR based schemes for ground deformation monitoring;
  • Modeling of atmospheric effects on InSAR measurements;
  • Improvement of quality of InSAR measurements by applying optimum interferograms filters;
  • Development of refined InSAR methods; and
  • Study of ground subsidence, earthquakes, landslides, and deformations related to various engineering and geophysical processes.

 

 

Interferogram showing co-seismic deformations associated with the 2008 Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan, China

Co-seismic deformations associated with the 2008 Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan, China, from InSAR measurements

Cumulative ground subsidence in Shanghai between 1992 and 1998 from InSAR measurements

Noise reduction in interferograms with a new least squares based filter

Representative Projects

  • Regional Deformation Monitoring Using SAR Interferometry
  • Atmospheric Effects in Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) Measurements in HK and Southern China
  • Study of ground deformation and ground fissures in Xi’an
  • Development of cross platform InSAR
  • Detection of ground motion in Hong Kong with corner reflector InSAR

Major Facilities

  • Software packages for SAR image processing

Selected Research Output

1.         Chen, Q., Liu, G.X., Li, Y.S. and Ding, X.L. (2006) “Automatic detection of permanent scatterers in PS-InSAR: algorithms and test results”, ACTA Geodaetica et Cartographica Sinica, 35(2): 112-117.

2.         Chen, Q., Ding, X.L. and Liu, G.X. (2007) “Method for Optimum Selection of Master Image for PS-InSAR”, ACTA Geodaetica et Cartographica Sinica, 36(4): 395-399.

3.         Ding, X.L., Liu, G.X., Li, Z.W., Li, Z.L. and Chen, Y.Q. (2004) “Ground Settlement Monitoring in Hong Kong with Satellite SAR Interferometry”, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 70(10): 1151-1156.

4.         Ding, X.L., Li, Z.W., Zhu, J.J., Feng, G.C. and Long, J.P. (2008) “Atmospheric effects on InSAR measurements and their mitigations”, Sensors, (8): 5426-5448.

5.         Damoah-Afari, P., Ding, X.L. and Lu, Z. (2005) “Subsidence phenomenon in Shanghai measured with PSInSAR: some preliminary results”, Journal of Geospatial Engineering, 7(2): 28-38.

6.         Hu, J., Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L. and Zhu, J.J. (2008) “Two-dimensional Co-Seismic Surface Displacements Field of the Chi-Chi Earthquake Inferred from SAR Image Matching”, Sensors, 2008(8): 6484-6495.

7.         Li, Z.L., Zhou, W.B., Ding, X.L., Chen, Y.Q. and Li, G.X. (2004) “A quantitative measure for the quality of InSAR interferograms based on phase differences”, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 70(10): 1131-1137.

8.         Li, Z.L., Liu G.X. and Ding, X.L. (2006) “Exploring the generation of digital elevation models from Same-Side ERS SAR Images: Topographic and Temporal Effects”, Photogrammetric Record, 21(113): 1-17.

9.         Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L., Liu, G.X. and Huang, C. (2003) “Atmospheric Effects on InSAR Measurements - A Review”, Geomatics Research Australasia, 79: 43-58.

10.     Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L. and Liu, G.X. (2004) “Modeling Atmospheric Effects on InSAR with Meteorological and Continuous GPS Observations: Algorithms and Some Test Results”, Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 66: 907-917.

11.     Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L., Chen, Y.Q. and Chen, W. (2005) “Assessment of Atmospheric Effects on Repeat-pass InSAR measurements in southern China”, Journal of Geospatial Engineering, 7(1): 1-10.

12.     Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L., Zhu, J.J. and Zou, Z.R. (2005) “Quantitative study of atmospheric effects in sapceborne InSAR measurements”, Journal of Central South University of Technology, 12(4): 494-498.

13.     Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L., Huang, C., Wadge, G. and Zheng, D.W. (2006) “Modeling of atmospheric effects on InSAR measurements by incorporating terrain elevation information”, Journal of Atmospheric Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 68: 1189-1194.

14.     Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L., Huang, C., Zheng, D.W., Zou, W.B. and Shea, Y.K. (2006) “Filtering Method for Radar Interferogram with Strong noise”, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 27(14): 2991-3000.

15.     Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L., Huang, C., Zou, W.B. and Chen, Y.L. (2007) “Atmospheric effects on repeat-pass InSAR measurements over Shanghai region”, J. Atmospheric Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 69:1344-1356.

16.     Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L., Huang, C., Zhu, J.J. and Chen, Y.L. (2008) “Improved Filtering Parameter Determination for the Goldstein Radar Interferogram Filter”, ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 63:621-634.

17.     Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L., Zheng, D.W. and Huang, C. (2008) “Least squares based filter for remote sensing image noise reduction”, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 46(7): 2044-2049.

18.     Li, Z.W., Ding, X.L., Chen, Y.Q., Chen, W., Liu, G.X. and Emerson, N. (2008) “Comparative study of empirical tropospheric models for the Hong Kong region”, Survey Review, 40, 310: 328-341.

19.     Liu, G.X., Ding, X.L., Li, Z.L., Li, Z.W. and Chen, Y.Q. (2004) “Pre- and Co-Seismic Ground Deformations of the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan Earthquake, Measured with SAR Interferometry”, Computers and Geosciences - UK, 30: 333-343.

20.     Liu, G.X. and Ding, X.L. (2006) “Detecting of surface deformation in coastalands by DInSAR: accuracy and applicability analysis”, Bulletin of Surveying and Mapping, 9: 9-13.

21.     Liu, G.X., Luo, X.J., Chen, Q., Huang, D.F. and Ding, X.L. (2008) “Detecting land subsidence in Shanghai by PS-Networking SAR Interferometry”, Sensors, 2008(8): 4725-4741.

22.     Nichol, J., King, B., Quattrochi, D., Dowman, I., Ehlers, M. and Ding, X.L. (2007) “Earth observation for urban planning and management: state of the art and recommendations for application of earth observation in urban planning”, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 73(9):973-979.

23.     Zhang, L., Wu, J.C., Ge, L.L., Ding, X.L. and Chen, Y.L. (2008) “Determining fault slip distribution of the Chi-Chi Taiwan earthquake with GPS and InSAR data using triangular dislocation elements”, Journal of Geodynamics, 45:163-168.

24.     Zou, W.B., Li, Z.L. and Ding, X.L. (2006) “Effects of the intervals of tiepoints used in co-registration on the accuracy of digital elevation models generated by InSAR”, Photogrammetric Record, 21(115): 232-254.

25.     Zou, W.B., Li, Z.L. and Ding, X.L. (2007) “Determination of optimal window size for SAR image co-registration with decomposition of auto-correlation”, Photogrammetric Record, 22(119): 238-256.

Contact Information of the Contact Person

Prof. Xiao-Li Ding
Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Telephone: +852 2766 5965
Fax: +852 2330 2994
Email: lsxlding@polyu.edu.hk

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