Monitoring of ground subsidence using PS-InSAR technique in the Southeast Texas (SETX) Region

Abstract

The southeast Texas (SETX) coastal area, owing to its unique geographical location and geological attributes, is facing a spectrum of geological challenges, such as ground subsidence, flooding, and coastal erosion. This study endeavors to evaluate the recent instances of ground subsidence and their associated rates, focusing on comprehending their implications for flooding within SETX. Employing the Persistence Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PS-InSAR) technique, this study employs Sentinel-1 SAR satellite data with descending orbit observations spanning from January 2020 to March 2023. Our findings indicate that both the northwestern and eastern regions of Houston have been settled with rates up to 2 cm/year. This settlement trend is consistent with data derived from GPS and groundwater level measurements. This investigation explicitly shows the substantial temporal and spatial variations in subsidence rates, predominantly influenced by localized groundwater extraction due to urbanization (e.g., population growth, land development, etc.). By advocating for the integration of InSAR, GPS, and groundwater measurements, this research aspires to make valuable contributions toward the mitigation of subsidence and flood-related hazards in the SETX area.