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Sponsor Details

Name
Estimating the volume of slow-moving landslides in northern Canada using DInSAR-derived 2D and constrained 3D deformation rates.
Description
Advanced Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) has allowed for the observation of large, slow-moving deep-seated landslides in two regions of northern Canada. The Sentinel-1 imagery from 2017-2022 was used to compute vertical and horizontal east-west deformation rates, which remained constant and unaffected by seasonal changes during the entire period. The east-west deformation rate was found to be more effective for landslide characterization than the vertical deformation rate. Two large landslides in Alberta and one in the Northwest Territories were studied in detail to demonstrate various advanced value-added products produced from DInSAR results. From the deformation rates, Surface-Parallel Flow (SPF) and Aspect-Parallel Flow (APF)-constrained three-dimensional (3D) deformation rates were computed. Landslide thicknesses were estimated from the APF-constrained 3D deformation rates, and the limitations of these techniques were discussed. The estimated thickness of the Northwest Territories landslide was found to be 100m, suggesting that the entire permafrost block may be sliding above the non-permafrost ground. By decomposing landslide motion into two or three components in certain conditions, it is possible to derive landslide thickness and volume and improve the estimation of a potential hazard posed by landslides. These techniques allow for mapping slow-moving deep-seated landslides in harsh conditions in areas affected by seasonal land cover changes, such as in northern Canada.
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