SAR interferometry for ground vertical displacement of small islands
in the Venice Lagoon: The case of Murano island
T. Strozzi, U. Wegmuller
Gamma Remote Sensing, Muri (BE), Switzerland
L. Tosi
Istituto per lo Studio della Dinamica delle Grandi Masse, CNR, Venezia,
Italy
P. Teatini,
Dept. Mathematical Methods and Models for Scientific
Applications, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
ABSTRACT
Our knowledge of the dynamics of vertical ground movements plays a fundamental role in
the study of the geomorphological processes, particularly for determining sediment
deposition and erosion causes. The conservation of lagoon morphological structures such
as salt marshes and tidal flats, besides erosion due to waves and currents, depends on
their surface height with respect to the sea level that, for short periods, is primarily
related to the land subsidence process and secondarily to eustasy. Ground vertical
variations with respect to the sea level, even if small, can, in fact, trigger sediment
erosion and deposition processes. To determine land displacement rates in small islands
of the Venice Lagoon not covered by traditional surveys (levelling and differential GPS),
SAR-based monitoring techniques, i.e. differential SAR interferometry (INSAR) and
interferometric point target analysis (IPTA) from ERS-1 and ERS-2 satellites, were
performed. We will use the Murano Island for our example in this contribution.
