Contraction of a newly reclaimed mudflat detected by Differential SAR Interferometry

This paper reports the observation of the interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) phase anomaly on a newly reclaimed mudflat, Hwaong, in west coast of Korea, detected by a series of Radarsat-l SAR data obtained mostly during 2003. The observed phase anomaly could be from subsidence of mud land caused by volumetric contraction of mud in dry season. This process must have been initiated from March 2002 when tidal water supply to this region was permanently blocked by the newly constructed embankment. The maximum subsidence rate measured from InSAR signal is about 3 cm per month. The local heterogeneity of the subsidence rate over the reclaimed mudflat may indicate various mud composition, surface-subsurface hydrological processes, or subsurface information of the mud and basement rock structure. In-situ measurement must follow to support this observation from space.