Deformation of Linfen-Yuncheng Basin (China) and its mechanisms revealed by Î -RATE InSAR technique

The Linfen-Yuncheng Basin (LYB) in China is a region possessing severe geo-hazards, including active tectonic fault movement, land subsidence and ground fissures among others. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technique is applied to map surface deformation associated with various geo-hazards in this basin. The poly-interferogram rate and time-series estimator algorithm (Π-RATE) is used over forty-nine scenes of SAR data to generate the deformation maps over the entire LYB. The precision of InSAR results is around 3 mm/yr. Some active faults and ground fissures are successfully detected. The spatiotemporal characteristics of tableland uplift, faults displacement and basin subsidence are quantitatively monitored with InSAR technique ranging from 2 mm/yr to 142 mm/yr. Finally, the mechanisms of surface deformation regarding large scale Zhongtiaoshan fault, middle scale basin land subsidence and small scale ground fissures are discussed in terms of interseismic movement, underground water level changes and hydrostratigraphic heterogeneity.