Semi-Automatic Detection of Ground Displacement from Multi-Temporal Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry Analysis and Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise in Xining City, China

The China Loess Plateau (CLP) is the world’s most extensive and thickest region of loess deposits. The inherently loose structure of loess makes the CLP particularly vulnerable to geohazards such as landslides, collapses, and subsidence, resulting in substantial geological and environmental challenges. Xining City, situated at the northwest edge of the CLP, is especially prone to frequent geological hazards due to intensified human activities and natural forces. Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) has become a widely used tool for identifying landslide hazards and displacement monitoring because of its high accuracy, low cost, and wide coverage. In this study, we utilized the small baseline subset (SBAS) InSAR technique to derive the line of sight (LOS) displacements of Xining City using Sentinel-1 datasets from ascending and descending orbits between October 2014 and September 2022. By integrating LOS displacements from the two datasets, we retrieved the eastward and vertical displacements to characterize the kinematics of active slopes. To identify the active areas semi-automatically, we applied the Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm to cluster InSAR measurement points (IMPs). Forty-eight active slopes with areas ranging from 0.0049 to 0.5496 km2 and twenty-five subsidence-dominant areas ranging from 0.023 to 3.123 km2 were identified across Xining City. Kinematics analysis of the Jiujiawan landslide indicated that acceleration started in August 2016, likely triggered by rainfall, and continued until the landslide. The extreme rainfall in August 2022 may have pushed the Jiujiawan landslide beyond its critical threshold, leading to instability. Additionally, the study identified nine active slopes that threaten the normal operation of the Lanzhou–Xinjiang High-Speed Railway, with kinematic analysis suggesting rainfall-related accelerations. The influence of anthropogenic activities on ground displacements in loess areas was also confirmed through time series displacement analysis. Our results can be leveraged for geohazard prevention and management in Xining City. As SAR image data continue to accumulate, InSAR can serve as a regular tool for maintaining up-to-date landslide inventories, thereby contributing to more sustainable geohazard management.