Surface Time Series Response and Deformation Cause Analysis in 2021 Zhengzhou Extreme Weather, China

Abstract The abnormal deformation of urban surfaces threatens the human living environment, and extreme regional weather can affect the response law of surface deformation. To explore the changes in surface time series response after extreme weather and the causes of deformation in Zhengzhou, the MTInSAR was used to obtain the surface deformation from 2020 to 2022, and the time series changes of groundwater equivalent water height were retrieved by GRACE. The results show that: (a) There are three large subsidence bowls in Zhengzhou, and the maximum subsidence rate is −40.2 mm/yr. (b) The extreme rainstorm in Zhengzhou alleviated the surface deformation quickly, lasting approximately 6 months. However, surface subsidence still occurred after the extreme rainstorm. The water storage coefficient of the elastic skeleton in the Zhengzhou area showed an increasing trend. (c) Precipitation can lead to surface uplift by influencing the change of groundwater level. There is a delay time of 0.75–1 month between groundwater level change and surface uplift response in the characteristic region. These results provide scientific data support and causal analysis for disaster prevention and reduction of abnormal deformation in Zhengzhou.