Conway (2025) InSAR Observations of Ground Deformation in Permafrost and Agricultural Regions of an Arid River Basin

Identification

• Journal: Edinburgh Research Archive (University of Edinburgh)
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-11-14
• Authors: Conway, Oscar
• DOI: 10.7488/era/6733

Research Groups

• The University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences

Short Summary

This study applies Sentinel-1 InSAR time series analysis to map ground deformation in China's Shiyang River Basin, revealing rapid subsidence in agricultural areas due to groundwater extraction and widespread, variable subsidence in permafrost regions linked to climate-driven thaw.

Objective

• To characterise spatiotemporal patterns in ground deformation linked to cryospheric and hydrological changes associated with upstream permafrost degradation and downstream groundwater extraction in the Shiyang River Basin.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Shiyang River Basin (SRB), northwestern China, encompassing both permafrost and agricultural regions.
• Temporal Scale: Long-term (2015-2024) and seasonal cycles.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) time series analysis.
• Data sources: Sentinel-1 satellite imagery.

Main Results

• Agricultural areas exhibit rapid long-term (2015-2024) subsidence rates of up to -23 mm/year.
• Agricultural areas show large seasonal amplitudes of ground motion (up to 35 mm), with seasonal cycles characterised by summer subsidence and winter uplift, consistent with irrigation-driven groundwater depletion and recharge.
• Permafrost areas display widespread subsidence and seasonal deformation with strong spatial variability.
• Permafrost deformation is indicative of long-term permafrost thaw and active layer freeze-thaw cycles, with underlying cryospheric mechanisms dependent on topography and local soil conditions.

Contributions

• Provides a catchment-wide understanding of hydrological changes resulting from anthropogenic groundwater extraction and climate-driven permafrost degradation in an arid river basin.
• Demonstrates the effectiveness of InSAR as a monitoring tool for supporting groundwater management and tracking changes in alpine hydrology.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Conway2025InSAR,
  author = {Conway, Oscar},
  title = {InSAR Observations of Ground Deformation in Permafrost and Agricultural Regions of an Arid River Basin},
  journal = {Edinburgh Research Archive (University of Edinburgh)},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.7488/era/6733},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.7488/era/6733}
}

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