Surface deformation in Mokpo area observed with synthetic aperture radar interferometry

Mokpo city is a coastal city located at the south western coast of the Korean Peninsula. Large regions within Mokpo are subjected to significant subsidence because about 70% of the city area is a reclaimed land from the sea. In this study, we aimed to estimate the subsidence rate over Mokpo city by using twenty-six JERS-1 SAR dataset from September 1992 to October 1998. Several tens of differential interferograms were processed from JERS-1 dataset and STRM 3-arc DEM. The results indicate continuous subsidence in Dongmyung-dong, Hadang-dong and Wonsan-dong in city, and the subsidence velocity reach over 4 cm/yr in the most highly sinking area. For facilitating the analysis of time-varying surface change, we also carried out an interferometric SAR time series analysis using permanent scatterer and consequently determined space-time maps of surface deformation at each acquisition time of JERS-1 SAR.