Ground Deformation / LOS Displacement
Converts unwrapped interferometric phase into radar line-of-sight displacement.
dLOS = λΔφ/(4π)Sign depends on phase convention.
Best used when: measuring motion along the radar line of sight.
InSAR SLC Applications
Application-oriented processing for complex SAR SLC pairs or stacks. It uses interferometric phase/coherence to derive deformation, terrain, or coherence-change products depending on the selected application.
SAR / InSAREnd-User DocumentationTheory + Formula + Parameters1. What This Feature Does
Application-oriented processing for complex SAR SLC pairs or stacks. It uses interferometric phase/coherence to derive deformation, terrain, or coherence-change products depending on the selected application.
Cloud workflow: choose data → configure the scientific method → run → review the resulting layer/report. No programming is required.
2. Recommended Workflow
Choose compatible SLC acquisitions and polarization.
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Select the application.
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Choose processing quality.
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Run interferometric processing.
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Review coherence and quality before interpreting displacement/height.
3. Theory, Methods & Equations
Deformation Time Series
Combines several acquisition dates to estimate temporal deformation behavior.
d(t) = cumulative/inverted phase-derived displacement
Best used when: persistent subsidence/uplift monitoring is required.
Land Subsidence / Mining / Infrastructure / Landslide / Volcano / Earthquake
Uses the same interferometric principles but optimizes interpretation and products for the selected deformation context.
γ = |ΣS1S2*| / √(Σ|S1|²Σ|S2|²)
Best used when: the application-specific deformation mode is required.
InSAR DEM
Relates topographic interferometric phase to elevation after removing other phase components and using imaging geometry.
φ = φtopo + φdefo + φatm + φnoise
Best used when: stereo-like SAR elevation recovery is possible from a suitable baseline.
Coherence Change Detection
Maps loss or change of interferometric coherence.
0 ≤ γ ≤ 1
Best used when: surface disturbance changes scattering stability between acquisitions.
4. Input Data
| Input | Type | Requirement | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reference SLC | raster | Required for selected method | Native Sentinel-1 SLC SAFE package delivered by Data Finder. |
| Secondary SLC | raster | Required for selected method | Compatible secondary Sentinel-1 SLC acquisition. |
| SLC Time Series | raster | Required for selected method | Three or more SLC scenes for automated time-series deformation workflows. |
| DEM (Optional) | raster | Conditional / Optional | Optional project DEM. If omitted, the configured InSAR engine chooses its default DEM. |
5. Parameters Available in the Application
| Parameter | Default | Choices / Range | How to Use It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | ground_deformation | Ground Deformation / LOS Displacement, Deformation Time Series, Land Subsidence, Earthquake Deformation, Volcano Deformation, Mining Deformation, Infrastructure Deformation, Landslide Deformation, InSAR DEM, Coherence Change Detection | |
| Polarization | — | — | Loaded from the SLC package metadata; no manual band number entry. Shown for: ground_deformation, earthquake_deformation, insar_dem, coherence_change_detection |
| Polarization | — | — | Loaded from the SLC package metadata; all scenes are validated against this polarization. Shown for: deformation_time_series, land_subsidence, volcano_deformation, mining_deformation, infrastructure_deformation, landslide_deformation |
| Processing Quality | balanced | Fast, Balanced, High Quality | |
| Save Intermediate Products | Off | — |
6. Output & Interpretation
The result should be interpreted according to the selected method and the physical meaning of the input data. Preserve source units, coordinate reference information, NoData meaning, acquisition date, and preprocessing level when comparing results.
Scientific interpretation: an algorithm can produce a numerically valid result even when the input data are unsuitable. Always check masks, units, sensor characteristics, spatial resolution and reference data.
Important: Reliable InSAR requires compatible orbits, correct co-registration, sufficient coherence, atmospheric awareness and careful phase unwrapping. LOS displacement is not automatically vertical displacement.
7. Best Practices
- Use analysis-ready inputs and remove invalid/cloud/noise artifacts that are not part of the target phenomenon.
- Choose parameters from the physical scale of the data, not only from visual appearance.
- Keep categorical and continuous rasters conceptually separate when selecting interpolation/resampling methods.
- Compare the result with the source image and independent reference information.
- Document the settings used when results will be compared across dates, sensors or study areas.