Transient active deformation in Tainan tableland using persistent scatterers SAR interferometry

Persistent scatterers SAR interferometry (PS-InSAR) was employed to monitor surface deformation in and around the Tainan tableland using 20 advanced synthetic aperture radar (ASAR) images from the ENVISAT satellite taken during the period from 2005 May 19 to 2008 September 25. In our study, we have found that the uplift rate of the northern Tainan tableland is faster than the southern tableland. The slant range displacement (SRD) rate for the area north along the precise leveling array is about 5 to 10 mm/yr with respect to the western edge of the Tainan tableland, whereas the SRD rate for the area south of the leveling array is about 1 to 5 mm/yr. In addition, the uplifted area extends eastward to the Tawan lowland with a maximum SRD rate of nearly 10 mm/yr, which is almost the same as the rate of the Tainan tableland. Results of this study differ from those suggested in previous researches that employed ERS-1/2 radar images taken from 1996 to 1999 and the differential interferometry synthetic aperture radar (D-InSAR) technique. Our findings indicated that the Tawan lowland no longer subsides with respect to the western edge of the Tainan tableland, and that both northern and southern areas are experiencing uplift.