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Slight Surface Changes Detected From Space

13.10.11

Scientists are making advances in the use of satellite data to map changes in Earth’s surface. Subsidence of only millimeters can be detected thanks to advances in technology.

The picturesque town of Assisi nestling in central Italy’s rolling hills has, for centuries, drawn tourists, religious pilgrims and lovers of art.

But it has also drawn the attention of scientists who see the real weight of its reputation. By exploiting satellite data, they have found that some areas of the historical town are sinking by 7.5 mm per year.

This is just one of the many areas around the world where satellites have detected surface changes down to the millimeter from their orbits hundreds of kilometers above.

The findings were presented at the Fringe Workshop on advances in the science and applications of radar interferometry held at ESRIN, ESA’s center for Earth observation, in Frascati, Italy.

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar – or InSAR – is a remote sensing technique where two or more images over the same scene are combined to detect slight changes occurring between acquisitions.

Source: RedOrbit