Coseismic displacement derived from Sentinel-1 data: Latest techniques and case studies

Abstract

A coseismic displacement field is particularly important for earthquake studies. Since their launch in 2014 and 2016, ESA's Sentinel-1A/Sentinel-1B satellites have been acquiring large amounts of SAR images from all major plate boundary regions. Thus, these satellites are well suited for this task. We review the principle of Sentinel-1 imaging modes and the latest data process techniques through case studies of the 2014 Napa Valley, 2015 Nepal, 2016 Kumamoto, and 2016 New Zealand earthquakes. We introduce how to utilize the coherent and incoherent information of Sentinel-1 data fully to map coseismic displacements in near and far fields, along the line of sight and in along-track directions. The latest technical development and case studies show that we can derive not only a smooth coseismic displacement from the far field but also a displacement close to the rupture trace, demonstrating that the Sentinel-1 system plays an increasingly important role in earthquake studies.