Land degradation monitoring in the Ocnele Mari salt mining area using satellite imagery

Abstract

Mining is an important activity contributing to the economic development with long lasting environmental impacts. A major disaster took place in 2001 in Ocnele Mari salt mining area located in the central-south part of Romania when the artificial lake brine was poured in rural areas, devastating homes and polluting the Olt River. Towards a sustainable and harmonious development of the Ocnele Mari area, the Romanian Authorities decided to ecology and rehabilitate it. This ongoing project is focused on land degradation monitoring from 2001 disasters until now. High Resolution Spotlight TerraSar-X synthetic aperture radar data acquired within TerraSAR-X proposal LAN0778 are used to analyze terrain deformation by interferometric techniques knowing the mine subsidence is not constant; periods of relative stability are followed by quick deformation. The rocks forming in the region situated above the salt cushion have very low mechanical resistance and high intergranular fissured permeability so the hill's slopes are affected by landslides which are reactivated periodically. Additionally, analysis of the vegetation coverage (leaf area index and normalized difference vegetation index) from the optical data gathered by different sensors such as LANDSAT and MODIScombined with the meteorological data (temperature, wind speed, humidity and solar radiation) provide indicators for the land degradation. The results will be validating on ancillary data. Satellite derived information in conjunction with in-situ measurements can provide valuable information for existing conservation development models for defining the essential elements of a planning process designed to maximize the values provided by salt ponds from Ocnele Mari.

Subsidence determined by InSAR – a review

“…Numerous studies on the subsidence monitoring and seismic activities have been performed in the salt extraction area (Zamfirescu et al, 2010;Trifu and Shumila, 2010;Poenaru et al, 2011).…”

“…As a result of the implementation of the strategic plan regarding safe exploitation and rehabilitation of the salt mining area adopted in 2007, degradation phenomena decreased in intensity, so that the study area became relatively stable in time (-2, -4 mm/year subsidence) (Poenaru et al, 2013).…”

“…Ground level subsidence analysis determined by InSAR data analysis have been also presented in the papers of Hsieh et al (2011), Massonnet et al (1993), Helleno et al (2011), Hung et al (2011), Vilhardo et al (2009, Stramondo et al (2007), Chatterjee et al (2006), and Minxue et al (2014). Colesanti et al, 2005Biescas et al, 2007Herrera et al, 2007Wegmuller et al, 2010Raucoules et al, 2009Ferretti, 2007Wegmüller et al, 2008Wegmüller et al, 2010Colesanti et al, 2007Poenaru et al 2015Zamfirescu et al, 2010Trifu și Shumila, 2010Poenaru et al, 2011Poenaru et al, 2013Groundwater abstraction/recharge Colesanti et al, 2003Shaochun Dong et al, 2014Shuhab et al, 2014 Petrol and gas abstraction Yu şi Wang, 2015Reservoir Vasco et al, 2008Flood risk Bonano et al, 2013Fausto Guzzetti et al, 2009Cigna et al, 2010 Kiseleva et al, Ping Lu et al, (2013) Urbanization Ferretti et al, 2000Bonano et al, 2014Shaochun Dong et al, 2014Berardino et al, 2002Peng Han et al, 2017Subway construction Fruneau și Sarti, 2000Herrera et al, 2008Fuhrmann et al, 2012Poenaru et al, 2015…”

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“…Ground level subsidence analysis determined by InSAR data analysis have been also presented in the papers of Hsieh et al (2011), Massonnet et al (1993, Helleno et al (2011), Hung et al (2011), Vilhardo et al (2009, Stramondo et al (2007), Chatterjee et al (2006), and Minxue et al (2014). Herrera et al, 2008Fuhrmann et al, 2012Poenaru et al, 2015Hsieh et al, 2011Massonnet et al, 1993Helleno et al, 2011Hung et al, 2011Vilhardo et al, 2009Stramondo et al, 2007Chatterjee et al, 2006Minxue et al, 2014Earthquake Salvi et al, 2012Zamfirescu et al, 2010Trifu și Shumila, 2010Poenaru et al, 2011…”

Multi-Temporal Satellite Interferometry for Fast-Motion Detection: An Application to Salt Solution Mining

“…The forced circulation of water in the salt levels leaves back cavities that in the long-term evolve in surface effects as subsidence bowls, collapse chimneys and sinkholes. Some examples of such processes include: the Old Belvedere Spinello brinefield in Southern Italy [6,7], the Barycz and Lezkowice salt mines in Poland [8,9], the Tuzla brinefield in Bosnia Herzegovina [10][11][12], the Gallenoncourt and Vauvert salt mines in France [13,14], the Ocnele Mari mining area in Romania [15][16][17], and various sites in the United States of America [2,18,19].…”