TerraSAR-X reveals the impact of the mobile barrier works on Venice
coastland stability
T. Strozzi
Gamma Remote Sensing, Gumligen, Switzerland
P. Teatini
Dept. Mathematical Methods and Models for Scientific
Applications, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
L. Tosi
Institute of Marine Sciences, CNR, Venezia, Italy
Land subsidence and eustacy concurred to make the relative sea level in Venice (Italy) 23 cm higher over the
last century. In order to protect the city and its lagoon environment from increased flooding, a series of
mobile barriers are under construction at the three inlets of Lido, Malamocco, and Chioggia connecting the
Adriatic Sea to the inner water body. Since 2003 work has been proceeding with the reinforcement and
extension of the existing jetties and the construction of breakwaters, harbors, and a small island within the
Lido inlet. We detected significant local settlements of a few centimeters between March 2008 and January
2009 at the three inlets induced by the construction works through an interferometric analysis of 30 satellite
radar images acquired by the new German TerraSAR-X mission. On a more regional scale we observe that the
city of Venice and the other major urban settlements on the lagoon littorals are not impacted by subsidence
during this period. The very high spatial resolution of 3 m and the short repeat-time interval of 11 days of
TerraSAR-X enable the investigation of displacements with an unprecedented observed level of details,
opening new perspectives to geodynamic's research and civil engineering sectors for the monitoring of large
infrastructures with potential vulnerability to terrain motion.
