High Resolution Rapid Revisit InSAR Monitoring of Surface Deformation

This article provides temporal guidelines for the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) data acquisitions on several active high-risk surface deformation sites in Canada. The RCM will be tasked by several high-priority users and conflicts in acquisitions needed to be carefully resolved. Monitoring the deformation process on several representative sites, we can target our 4-day interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) acquisition plan for the future RCM. We provide examples of high-resolution (1-3 m) InSAR measurements for monitoring high-risk landslides affecting transportation and energy corridors, as well as surface deformation related to the steam injection process of extracting oil at the oil sands area. For all of these sites, we recommend specific temporal acquisition parameters for different deformation behaviors related to different landslide triggering mechanisms and oil extraction. The high-resolution InSAR images are effective in characterizing differential motion within these low-velocity landslides. Our results show that rapid revisit InSAR acquisitions are required during the combined wet spring and storm events for coastal landslides. Highly fractured slow-moving landslides along railway corridors require InSAR acquisitions throughout the year. Permafrost-triggered landslides affecting pipeline corridors require acquisitions during the peak summer thaw season. Deformation triggered by steam injection over the oil sands requires high-resolution constant rapid revisit monitoring during the steaming and extraction periods.