Application of Sentinel-1 InSAR for lithologically-informed subsurface characterization

Satellite interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has become an important technique for monitoring deformation-causing natural hazards. We show how applying time-series analysis to multiple InSAR pairs using data from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 (S1) constellation, which provides freely available repeat-collect, global-coverage data, we can capture deformation signals comparable to high-resolution data from commercial counterparts. We then utilize S1 InSAR data to improve an existing prior-informed deformation modeling approach used to characterize InSAR-observed surface deformation in terms of subsurface driving mechanisms, refining this technique by incorporating knowledge on lithology of the host rock. Success is demonstrated on Brady Hot Springs geothermal field in Nevada, where InSAR-observed deformation has already been studied. Given this refinement, this originally geothermal-based technique can now be extended to characterizing the more localized and complex drivers of deformation at underground mining sites, where such characterization is critical to environmental and personnel safety.