The utility of TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X, and PAZ for studying volcanic activity: Successes, challenges, and future prospects

Federico Galetto, Edna Dualeh, Francisco Delgado, Matthew Pritchard, Michael Poland, Susanna K. Ebmeier, Tara Shreve, Juliet Biggs, Ian Hamling, Christelle Wauthier, Judit Gonzalez-Santana, Jean Luc Froger, Mark Bemelmans

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

TerraSAR-X (TSX), TanDEM-X (TDX), and PAZ Synthetic Aperture Radar data have been used at over 120 volcanoes to assess surface characteristics and change over time. We examine previous work, adding additional examples to understand where and when these data are most useful for volcanology. We focus on volcanoes as part of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Volcano Demonstrator Project. TSX/TDX/PAZ data provide a valuable means of detecting small surface changes from amplitude images and topographic changes from bistatic TSX/TDX data. For short temporal and perpendicular baselines, TDX/TSX/PAZ can also provide useful deformation data, even in presence of vegetation. No global background mission currently acquires TSX/TDX/PAZ data at volcanoes: 70 % of CEOS volcanoes have no repeat high spatial resolution data, limiting their suitability for studying pre-eruptive unrest. Coordinated targeting by SAR constellations of priority volcanoes would provide data and insights valuable for forecasting eruptions and associated hazards.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)273-301
Number of pages29
JournalVolcanica
Volume7
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Geophysics
  • Geology
  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)

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