Surface deformation monitoring using time series TerraSAR-X images over permafrost of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is often affected by climate change and anthropogenic activity. In this study, permafrost surface deformation is detected by time series InSAR method using high resolution TerraSAR-X images. In particularly, a sinusoidal function model is adopted in the parameter retrieving step for seasonal deformation extraction. The backscattering (σ°) of the main ground target types, such as alpine meadow, gross desert, mountainous slope, and railway, have been extracted. The evolutions of deformation and σ° of the main typical ground targets have been analyzed. Experimental result shows that σ° in alpine meadow areas increases about 10 dB from thawing season to frozen season. Experimental result shows that most area undergoes obvious displacement with the range from −15 mm/year to 15 mm/year.