Through various programs, NASA develops projects aimed at transforming satellite observations into practical information for land management, natural resources, and infrastructure. In this post, we will focus on OPERA (Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis), an initiative that produces ready-to-analyze data from optical and radar imagery. Throughout the article, we will explore the …
Cities are constantly shifting—whether it’s aging infrastructure, heavy rainfall, underground construction, or groundwater extraction, all these forces quietly reshape the urban landscape. And now, urban deformation is measurable—thanks to satellite radar technology (InSAR). Today,InSAR generates hundreds of thousands of high-resolution deformation time series over every city, capturing millimetric changes across buildings, roads, slopes, and other …
In this article, we take a closer look at piezometers, instruments used to measure water pressure underground. They are essential in engineering projects where accurate subsurface monitoring is crucial. Throughout the article, we will explore all relevant aspects of this instrument, as well as its integration with satellite technology to achieve a thorough and highly …
This article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of key factors involved in the formation of sinkholes, ground subsidence, and terrain collapses—collectively known in English as sinkholes. In addition, we explore how InSAR technology contributes to improving their monitoring and control. These phenomena occur across the globe and, as we will see, can develop in …
In this post we would like to take a closer look at the use of measuring instrumentation and sensors in the geotechnical engineering sector. More specifically, in the inclinometers. Inclinometers are a fundamental piece to measure deformations and to guarantee the safety and success of any geotechnical application. In this article we show you all …
Joshimath is located at an altitude of 1,890 meters in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India. This town, situated on the slopes of the Himalayas, is bordered by the Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers and is located on terrain composed of silty-sandy deposits mixed with gneiss and schist deposits. In Joshimath, a severe process of land …
In November 2022, the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (https://land.copernicus.eu/), managed by the European Environment Agency (EEA, https://www.eea.europa.eu/), published the first map of ground deformations using InSAR technology on a continental scale. EGMS is unprecedented. It is the first time we have had a service for monitoring deformations on a continental scale, and Europe is the …
Radar remote sensing technology has revolutionised the way we perceive and understand our world. But similar to other remote sensing sensors a radar system also has its unique set of challenges when it comes to creating accurate images. SAR data can be a bit distorted because of how the sensor works, especially in rough terrains …
Subsidence affects millions of people around the world. Places such as Jakarta in Indonesia or Mexico City suffer severe and progressive land subsidence processes mainly due to the overexploitation of groundwater. In Spain, the overexploitation of the Guadalentín aquifer (Murcia) generates the highest rate of subsidence in Europe, reaching values of 11cm/year. Detecting and monitoring …
SAR sensors make use of different frequency bands for data collection. Each of these band offers its own characteristics and possible applications. Combining data provided by SAR sensors with InSAR technology is possible to detect ground and infrastructure movements with millimeter accuracy. In many cases, InSAR technology requires complex algorithms in order to generate accurate …