Detection and monitoring of active faults in urban environments: Time series interferometry on the cities of Patras and Pyrgos (Peloponnese, Greece)

Abstract

Monitoring of active faults in urban areas is of great importance, providing useful information to assess seismic hazards and risks. The present study concerns the monitoring of the potential ground deformation caused by the active tectonism in the cities of Patras and Pyrgos in Western Greece. A PS interferometric analysis technique was applied using a rich data-set of ERS-1 & 2 SLC images. The results of the interferometric analysis were compared with the tectonic maps of the two cities. Patras show clearer uplift-subsidence results due to the more distinct fault pattern and intense deformation compared to the Pyrgos area, where more diffused deformation is observed, with no significant displacements on the surface. © 2009 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.