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Survey and monitoring of landslide displacements by means of L-band satellite SAR interferometry

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Abstract

This paper illustrates the capabilities of L-band satellite SAR interferometry for the investigation of landslide displacements. SAR data acquired by the L-band JERS satellite over the Italian and Swiss Alps have been analyzed together with C-band ERS-1/2 SAR data and in situ information. The use of L-band SAR data with a wavelength larger than the usual C-band, generally considered for ground motion measurements, reduces some of the limitations of differential SAR interferometry, in particular, signal decorrelation induced by vegetation cover and rapid displacements. The sites of the Alta Val Badia region in South Tyrol (Italy), Ruinon in Lombardia (Italy), Saas Grund in Valais (Switzerland) and Campo Vallemaggia in Ticino (Switzerland), representing a comprehensive set of different mass wasting phenomena in various environments, are considered. The landslides in the Alta Val Badia region are good examples for presenting the improved performance of L-band in comparison to C-band for vegetated areas, in particular concerning open forest. The landslides of Ruinon, Saas Grund, and Campo Vallemaggia demonstrate the strength of L-band in observing moderately fast displacements in comparison to C-band. This work, performed with historical SAR data from a satellite which operated until 1998, demonstrates the capabilities of future planned L-band SAR missions, like ALOS and TerraSAR-L, for landslide studies.

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Acknowledgments

The present work was supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) in the framework of the project “Demonstration of L-Band Capabilities using JERS Data”; the authors would like to acknowledge the advice of H. Rott, M. Zink and S. Quegan. JERS SAR data (JAXA) are partly courtesy of J-2RI-001. ERS SAR data in Italy are courtesy C1P.1215 (ESA). ERS SAR data analysis in Italy was supported by the ALPSLOPE project within ESA Data User Programme with the use of DEM 2000 (courtesy of Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano-Alto Adige, Ufficio Coordinamento Territoriale). ERS SAR data (ESA) in Switzerland are partly courtesy AO3-178, partly courtesy C1P.2338. SAR data analysis in Switzerland was supported by the SLAM project within ESA Data User Programme with the use of DHM25 (©2003 swisstopo). Corvara GPS data resulted from the research contract “Hydro-geological hazard assessment and identification of vulnerable elements in the municipality of Corvara in Badia” (Contractors: L. Nossing, R. Pollinger and P. Profanter, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano; M. Panizza, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia; S. Silvano, IRPI-CNR Padova). Dott. Gregorio Mannucci of the Geological Survey of ARPA Regione Lombardia is acknowledged for the Ruinon GPS data. The authors are also grateful to the reviewers for their timely criticisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gamma Remote Sensing, Worbstrasse 225, 3073, Gümligen, Switzerland

    Tazio Strozzi, Andreas Wiesmann, Urs Wegmüller & Charles Werner

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via G. La Pira, 4, 50121, Firenze, Italy

    Paolo Farina

  3. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Largo S. Eufemia 19, 41100, Modena, Italy

    Alessandro Corsini

  4. Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland, C.P. 72, 6952, Canobbio, Switzerland

    Christian Ambrosi & Manfred Thüring

  5. Teledata GeoConsult GmbH-srl, via – Siemens – Straße 19, 39100, Bozen – Bolzano, Italy

    Johannes Zilger

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  1. Tazio Strozzi
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  2. Paolo Farina
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  3. Alessandro Corsini
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  4. Christian Ambrosi
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  7. Andreas Wiesmann
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  8. Urs Wegmüller
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  9. Charles Werner
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Correspondence to Tazio Strozzi.

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Strozzi, T., Farina, P., Corsini, A. et al. Survey and monitoring of landslide displacements by means of L-band satellite SAR interferometry. Landslides 2, 193–201 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-005-0003-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-005-0003-2

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