Integrating SAR interferometry and GNSS for studying tectonic processes in Indonesia

Indonesia is periodically affected by severe volcano eruptions and earthquakes, which are geologically coupled to the convergence of the Australian tectonic plate beneath the Sunda Plate.
SAR interferometry (InSAR) is a satellite technology based on RADAR sensors that can be used to support studying and modeling of terrain movements such as tectonic motions associated with faults, and volcanic processes related to magma movement. The main advantages of InSAR techniques are the synoptic view of wide areas, and the periodic surveying that guarantees long-term monitoring and time series analysis.
Multi-temporal InSAR (MTI) techniques provide both mean displacement maps and displacement time series over selected, stable objects on the Earth surface. Nowadays, historical SAR data acquired in different bands and from several satellite missions are available, and the launch of Sentinel-1A /B guarantees data for the next future.
The study of tectonic phenomena requires large-scale spatial analysis that poses challenges in MTI processing. A reliable modeling needs additional information coming e.g. from geodetic data, such as those provided by GNSS networks.
This project is aimed at performing an analysis of tectonic-induced surface displacements through InSAR MTI techniques over Indonesian test areas, selected according to the availability of historical SAR data, GNSS networks, and geological data.