Three-dimensional deformation time series of glacier motion from multiple-aperture DInSAR observation

Abstract

The previously presented Multidimensional Small Baseline Subset (MSBAS-2D) technique computes two-dimensional (2D), east and vertical, ground deformation time series from two or more ascending and descending Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) data sets by assuming that the contribution of the north deformation component is negligible. DInSAR data sets can be acquired with different temporal and spatial resolutions, viewing geometries and wavelengths. The MSBAS-2D technique has previously been used for mapping deformation due to mining, urban development, carbon sequestration, permafrost aggradation and pingo growth, and volcanic activities. In the case of glacier ice flow, the north deformation component is often too large to be negligible. Historically, the surface-parallel flow (SPF) constraint was used to compute the static three-dimensional (3D) velocity field at various glaciers. A novel MSBAS-3D technique has been developed for computing 3D deformation time series where the SPF constraint is utilized. This technique is used for mapping 3D deformation at the Barnes Ice Cap, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada, during January–March 2015, and the MSBAS-2D and MSBAS-3D solutions are compared. The MSBAS-3D technique can be used for studying glacier ice flow at other glaciers and other surface deformation processes with large north deformation component, such as landslides. The software implementation of MSBAS-3D technique can be downloaded from http://insar.ca/.