Land Subsidence in the Loess Plateau: SBAS-InSAR Analysis of Yan’an New District During 2017–2022

Located on the Loess Plateau, the Yan'an New District (YND) has experienced significant geological instability due to large-scale mountain excavation and city construction (MECC). This study applied the Small Baseline Subset Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-InSAR) technique to 66 ascending Sentinel-1A SAR images acquired between January 2017 and May 2022 to investigate ground deformation patterns and influencing factors. Results show that the maximum subsidence rate reached -86 mm/year, with a maximum cumulative deformation of 400 mm. Groundwater storage was identified as the key natural driver, exhibiting a significant positive correlation (<i>r</i> = 0.4-0.8) with cumulative deformation with a two-month lag. Fill thickness emerged as the dominant anthropogenic factor, controlling the duration of soil consolidation and thus the deformation rate. Regulating groundwater extraction and improving recharge can effectively reduce subsidence risks. These findings provide scientific guidance for geological hazard early warning and urban planning in YND.