Tandem-L Performance for Three Dimensional Earth Deformation Monitoring

Abstract

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) measurements are merely sensitive to the deformation along the Line of Sight (LOS) direction of the sensor. To improve the geometrical sensitivity and retrieve the three-dimensional deformation, the integration of InSAR from non-coplanar acquisitions as well as fusion with resolution-scale SAR image shift measurements has become a standard approach. Using different statistical measures, we assess and compare the influence of different image acquisition strategies as well as data fusion on the performance of InSAR in 3D deformation retrieval. Integrating nominal InSAR acquisitions, i.e. a set of measurements from ascending and descending tracks acquired from right-looking geometry, a strong correlation between the retrieved 3D parameters in the local vertical-north plane is observable. This correlation is sought to be decreased by non-nominal acquisitions; i.e. left-looking or squinted observations. These acquisition strategies are discussed for consideration in the future L-band mission Tandem-L.