Remote Sensing Data Access

ASF : Home About ASF SAR Data Center Events ASF Enterprise Satellite Tracking Ground Station Citation Information

Vertex GeoData Center Contact ASF

DAAC Specific URSA

non-DAAC URSA
Search

Publications

Software Tools

Education

Using InSAR to Study Earthquakes in South America

by Matt Pritchard, Princeton University and Mark Simons, California Institute of Technology The Nazca Plate is subducting eastward into the mantle below the western coast of South America at about 7 cm yr -. This collision causes high levels of volcanic activity and the long-term uplift of the Andes by compressional tectonics. On shorter timescales, this deformation manifests itself as large earthquakes along the entire length of the west coast of South America, including several earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7.5 occurring in the past decade. Earthquakes radiate seismic waves and cause permanent local crustal deformation that can be modeled to determine exactly which parts of a fault slipped (both at the surface and at depth) during that event. It is important to know which parts of a fault have slipped for many reasons. One common application of fault slip maps is to better characterize earthquake hazard. When one segment of a fault ruptures it can increase or decrease the stress on some of the neighboring segments of the fault, making an earthquake reoccurrence more or less likely in these regions. In addition, if we know how the stress in the crust was modified by the earthquake, and can precisely measure how these stresses relax with time (by affecting surface deformation), we can constrain the mechanical properties of these regions. Using RADARSAT-1 and ERS radar data made available through ASF, we are combining InSAR observations with GPS measurements of deformation and seismographic recordings of the radiated seismic energy to construct fault slip maps. The arid central Andes are an ideal location for InSAR, because the radar scattering properties of the ground change little between observations. Even though the InSAR observations are of high quality, it is not a straightforward matter to determine what parts of the fault slipped in these large earthquakes. One particular problem with this area is that a large amount of fault slip occurs under water where, currently, no measurements of deformation can be made. Nonetheless, by combining the InSAR, GPS and seismic data, we can estimate the sites of fault slip and determine how these earthquakes might impact surrounding areas which may become the sites of future large earthquakes. The image on this page shows the color contours of the satellite line-of-sight component of ground deformation from radar interferograms of three shallow thrust subduction zone earthquakes draped over shaded relief and bathymetry. The white outlines enclose the approximate rupture areas of large earthquakes of the 19th century that will possibly re-rupture in the 21st century. Black lines show political borders, and the red line is the Peru-Chile trench. The region of interest is indicated in the reference map at the lower left. In the 1995, 1996 and 2001 earthquakes, South America moved to the west, but the events look slightly different because of the different locations of slip on the fault interface relative to the coastline and the size of each earthquake. Because the radar satellites measure primarily vertical deformation, we can interpret the gross features as portions of the ground that were uplifted or subsided. Typically, for subduction zone earthquakes, we detect primarily subsidence on land, with uplift offshore. For the 1995 earthquake, a small region of dry land (the peninsula) was uplifted, and the closed contours in the interferogram are mostly caused by the on-land subsidence. For the 1996 earthquake, the slip was closer to land, so more uplift is recorded onshore, but the closed contours represent subsidence. Most of the fault slip from the 2001 earthquake was off-shore, so only subsidence is measured on land. Click here to download a copy of the newsletter featuring this article

News and Notes

2012 Summer Volume 8:2 Greenland Ice Mapping Project Dr. Ian Joughin Receives 2012 Louis Agassiz Medal 2012 Spring Volume 8:1 RADARSAT-1 Observations of Circulation Features Associated With a Bowhead Whale Feeding Hotspot Near Barrow, Alaska ASF Student Intern From Karlsruhe, Germany, Improves PolSAR Classification 2011 Winter Volume 7:4 Characterizing and Correcting Residual RFI Signatures in Operationally Processed ALOS-PALSAR Imagery Vertex: ASFs Data Portal 2011 Fall Volume 7:3 ASF Celebrates 20 Years of SAR Data The ASF API 2011 Summer Volume 7:2 Radar Satellite Images From ASF Used to Study Icebergs in the Weddell Sea SAR Data for Terrestrial Ecologists From ASF 2011 Spring Volume 7:1 InSAR Observations Revealed Surface Subsidence Over Permafrost in Northern Alaska The JPL UAVSAR 2010 Winter Volume 6:5 Utility of SAR and Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) Imagery for Identification of Salmon Spawning Habitat During Winter in a Large, Glacial River INTERFEROGRAM: ABold New Direction 2010 Fall Volume 6:4 ALOS Data for Land Subsidence Monitoring in Arizona The M7.2 El Major-Cucapa Earthquake in Baja California: Extensive Liquefaction Identified in ALOS InSAR Data 2009 Winter Volume 6:2 Illuminating Physical Facets of an Ecological Gem: Monterey Bay, California Afterslip on Normal Faults Following Several Moderate-Sized Earthquakes on the Tibetan Plateau Observed Using InSAR 2009 Fall Volume 6:1

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com

Latin America Volcano Monitoring With ALOS Quad Polarization PALSAR Radar, Radar Texture, and Optical Data for Land-Cover Classification 2008 Spring Volume 5:1 RADARSAT-1 IPY Legacy Datasets Available Faraday-Rotation Prediction Values on URSA EDG to WIST Transition 2007 Winter Volume 4:4 ALOS PALSAR Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) Faraday Rotation Effects in ALOS/PALSAR Data 2007 Fall Volume 4:3 AComprehensive Ice Velocity Map of Greenland from RADARSAT-1 and Other Satellite Data ASF Provides Open Source Software for Increasing the Usability of SAR Data 2007 Summer Volume 4:2 The International Polar Year 2007/08: Opportunities and Challenges Global Interagency International Polar Year Polar Snapshot Year (GIIPSY) 2007 Spring Volume 4:1 Fine Beam RADARSAT-1 for Monitoring Pond Dynamics in the Alaskan Boreal Forest Uncertainties in Firn-Line Monitoring in Winter SAR Data 2006 Fall Volume 3:3 Anomalous Surface Deformation Associated With the December 22, 2003, San Simeon Earthquake From RADARSAT-1 Interferometry Summer SAR Class NASARecognizes Data Center Excellence ASF Provides Scientific and Technical Support for Education and Outreach 2006 Special Anniversary Edition Message from the ASF Director Alaska SAR Facility: In the Beginning ABrief History of the RADARSAT-1 Antarctic Mapping Project Global Forest Mapping with JERS-1 SAR From Airborne to Spaceborne: Reflections on the Alaska Satellite Facility by a User Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar: Building Tomorrow's Tools Today Sea Ice Motion: Science Driving U.S. SAR Research 2006 Summer Volume 3:2 InSAR Captures Rifting and Volcanism in East Africa Asymmetric Opening and Episodic Faulting in the Asal Rift, Djibouti URSAGoes Live!

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com

2006 Spring Volume 3:1 Characterization of Freeze-Thaw Process Heterogeneity with Spaceborne Radar Assessing the Potential for Wildre Using ERS-2 SAR Imagery Use of SAR to Improve Paleo-Climate Investigations at Lake Elgygytgyn, Siberia 2005 Winter Volume 2:4 SAR-Derived Coastal Winds NIC Charts Smooth Sailing NOAAs Synthetic Aperture Radar Marine Users Manual 2005 Fall Volume 2:3 Comparison of GPS and InSAR deformation measurements at Okmok volcano, Alaska ANote from Dr. Gens Intern spends summer with ASF Visiting Researcher Enjoys Alaska Fishing 2005 Summer Volume 2:2 Examining Landfast Sea Ice on Alaskas Northern Coast Estimating Ice Thickness in Polynyas with Multiple Sensors Observing a Red Tide with Multiple Sensors 2005 Spring Volume 2:1 Response to a Freighter Grounding Incident in the Bering Sea Summer Interns Receive Hands-on Experience at ASF Additional Antarctic Acquisition Opportunities New Data Conversion Tool Simplifies Data Projection SAR Course Offered During UAF Summer Session 2004 Winter Volume 1:5 Using InSAR to Study Earthquakes in South America Building an Integrated View of Antarctica Studying Aleutian Volcanoes With InSAR The ASF RADARSAT-1 Interferometric Baseline Catalog Mapping Glacier Velocity in Greenland 2004 Fall Volume 1:4 DEM Control in Arctic Alaska Using ICESat Laser Altimetry Corner Reflectors TEXAS STYLE Unrestricted Data Products: New SAR CD Available 2004 Summer Volume 1:3 Creating the Matsu Digital Elevation Model Southern California Coastal Pollution Observed with SAR Monitoring River Ice Breakup in Alaska Radarsat-1 Orbit Adjustment Notification 2004 Spring Volume 1:2 GhostNet Searching the Oceans for

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com

Dangerous Debris The Reflector Array Maintained in Delta Junction, Alaska Software Tool Suite Updated ASF Opens New Forum Online 2003 Fall Volume 1.1 Keeping an Eye on Hurricane Isabel The Rising SAR of ALOS RADARSAT-1 Today and Beyond ASF Celebrates RADARSAT-1's Eighth Anniversary

ASF Programs

ASF Support Resources

ASF * Alaska Satellite Facility

SAR Data Center ASF Enterprise Satellite Tracking Ground Station GeoData Center

Citation Information Contact Us Submit Proposal

Location User Support Office About Us

2012 Alaska Satellite Facility Geophysical Institute 903 Koyukuk Dr. P.O. Box 757320 Fairbanks, AK 99775-7320 Phone: (907) 474-6166 Fax: (907) 474-2665 Email: uso@asf.alaska.edu

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com