Urban subsidence in the city of Prato (Italy) monitored by satellite radar interferometry

摘要

The differential SAR interferometry has been applied to study the displacement field in an urban area. A set of 6 ERS1/2 SAR images has been used to detect, map and quantify the subsidence occurring in the city of Prato near Florence (Italy). Four areas affected by strong subsidence during the period 1993-2000 have been spotted within the city. The analysis of three interferograms processed from images taken two years apart shows that the deformation rate is constant, with a maximum value of about 8.3 cm.yr{sup}(-1).