USGS - VHP InSAR Research Group

PROJECT ABSTRACT

Interferogram showing uplift about 3 miles west of South Sister; Interferogram by C. Wicks

InSAR

This site provides mostly nontechnical information about InSAR, an exciting new remote-sensing technique used to study, among other things, volcanoes and earthquakes. InSAR stands for Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar. Satellites record images of the Earth's surface, and these images can be combined to show subtle movements of the ground surface, called deformation.

InSAR is a proven technique for mapping ground deformation using radar images from Earth-orbiting satellites. InSAR greatly extends the ability of scientists to monitor volcanoes because, unlike other techniques that rely on measurements at a few points, InSAR produces a spatially complete map of ground deformation with centimeter-scale accuracy without subjecting field crews to hazardous conditions on the ground. This project combines InSAR results with those from other geodetic techniques including the Global Positioning System (GPS), borehole sensors such as dilatometers and tiltmeters, and precise leveling to characterize ground deformation at volcanoes in space and time. The resulting data help to constrain models of the causes of volcanic unrest, which in turn aids in the assessment of short-term volcano hazards. More detail can be found by checking out the InSAR Fact Sheet: Monitoring Ground Deformation from Space by Rosalind L. Helz.

The Research Group

The InSAR Research Group is composed of many scientists in various locations for the purpose of studying ground deformation. Find out who they are at the Group Members page. Learn more about what they do from information posted on the InSAR Research Results page.

Learn more about InSAR.

Other methods for monitoring ground deformation:
EDM | Tiltmeters | GPS

What's new?

Research:

Chuck Wicks et al. discusses Chaitén volcano, Chile, in Nature
Wicks, C.; de la Llera, J. C.; Lara, L.; Lowenstern, J. 2011, The role of dyking and fault control in the rapid onset of eruption at Chaitén volcano, Chile. 478, 374-377, doi:10.1038/nature10541.
Paper
Supplemental Information

USGS Professional Paper entitled History of Surface Displacements at the Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming, from Leveling Surveys and InSAR Observations, 1923–2008

In USGS Professional Paper entitled History of Surface Displacements at the Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming, from Leveling Surveys and InSAR Observations, 1923–2008, Dan Dzurisin, Mike Poland, and Chuck Wicks discuss the historical record of ground deformation at Yellowstone and its likely causes. The report: (1) summarizes knowledge about Yellowstone's eruptive history, magmatic system, and hydrothermal system, particularly as those topics pertain to the interpretation of ground deformation measurements; (2) describes the history of leveling and InSAR observations at Yellowstone, as well as other evidence for paleo- and contemporary ground deformation; (3) discusses the evolution of thought concerning the mechanisms of ground deformation at Yellowstone; and (4) provides an archive of information concerning more than 500 geodetic bench marks in Yellowstone National Park. It available in hardcopy and on the Web at http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1788/ or click here.
Citation:
Dzurisin, D., Wicks, C. W., and Poland, M.P., 2012, History of Surface Displacements at the Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming, from Leveling Surveys and InSAR Observations, 1923–2008: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1788, 68 pp.

In a related effort, the authors deployed six temporary GPS stations in Yellowstone National Park during summer 2008 and nine such stations during the summers of 2009 and 2010. The temporary stations complement the permanent GPS networks operated by the Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO, http://pboweb.unavco.org/) and the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO, http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/yvo/). Time-series plots for more than 120 GPS stations in or near the Park are available at:

http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/.

The nine temporary stations deployed by the VHP InSAR Research Group are:

BRYL (http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/bryl/)
FTNF (http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/ftnf/)
GRZL (http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/grzl/)
HADN (http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/hadn/)
LEWC (http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/lewc/)
PEBL (http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/pebl/)
QARY (http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/qary/)
SEDG (http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/sedg/)
WBRN (http://ehpm-earthquake.wr.usgs.gov/monitoring/gps/YellowstoneContin/wbrn/).

Also:

Find out a little more about each InSAR Group Member here.
InSAR Fact Sheet: Monitoring Ground Deformation from Space by Rosalind L. Helz and Figures from the Fact Sheet
Current update of Mt. St. Helens activity.
Mt. St. Helens is at Alert Level NORMAL; Aviation Color Code GREEN. (Click here for info on these levels.)
Extended research information can be found at the InSAR Research Results page.

Website:

Check out the new personal pages for each InSAR Group Member.
Email the Webmaster with any comments you want to share about the website.