Advanced InSAR techniques for deformation studies and for simulating the PS-assisted calibration procedure of Sentinel-1 data: case study from Thessaloniki (Greece), based on the Envisat/ASAR archive

Using state-of-the-art InSAR techniques, namely persistent scatterers (PSs) and small baseline subset (SBAS) approaches, this study contributes to open geotechnical questions in the area of Thessaloniki (Greece) from a remote-sensing perspective. It also demonstrates the potential of these techniques for calibration purposes, with reference to the new C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor on board the Sentinel-1 mission satellites. By exploiting the historical archive of Envisat/ASAR data, as well as a pair of the first Sentinel-1A SAR images, recent (2004–2010) deformation rates up to 18 mm year^–1 are detected over the study area. These results are then compared to the findings of previous InSAR and geophysical observations, indicating for example, subsidence or tectonic activity. On the other hand, the usefulness of the PS technique is shown over the same region for external SAR calibration purposes. This process simulates the PS-assisted calibration procedure to be applied systematically to Sentinel-1 SAR products.