Sentinel-1 InSAR Measurements of Elevation Changes over Yedoma Uplands on Sobo-Sise Island, Lena Delta

• Published in: Remote Sensing
• Main Authors: Chen, Jie, Günther, Frank (Dr.), Grosse, Guido (Prof. Dr.), Liu, Lin, Lin, Hui
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: ddc:620; Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät; Ice; lena delta; permafrost; wedge*
• Online Access: https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/opus4-ubp/frontdoor/index/index/docId/52625; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10071152

Yedoma-extremely ice-rich permafrost with massive ice wedges formed during the Late Pleistocene-is vulnerable to thawing and degradation under climate warming. Thawing of ice-rich Yedoma results in lowering of surface elevations. Quantitative knowledge about surface elevation changes helps us to understand the freeze-thaw processes of the active layer and the potential degradation of Yedoma deposits. In this study, we use C-band Sentinel-1 InSAR measurements to map the elevation changes over ice-rich Yedoma uplands on Sobo-Sise Island, Lena Delta with frequent revisit observations (as short as six or 12 days). We observe significant seasonal thaw subsidence during summer months and heterogeneous inter-annual elevation changes from 2016-17. We also observe interesting patterns of stronger seasonal thaw subsidence on elevated flat Yedoma uplands by comparing to the surrounding Yedoma slopes. Inter-annual analyses from 2016-17 suggest that our observed positive surface elevation changes are likely caused by the delayed progression of the thaw season in 2017, associated with mean annual air temperature fluctuations.