NGU and NORCE (Norwegian Research Center), with the support of the Norwegian Space Agency, have started developing InSAR Svalbard, which will display a map of ground movements and settlement in Svalbard.
- Will be able to monitor critical infrastructure
Even though InSAR Norway and EGMS (European Ground Motion Service) already monitor unstable rock formations and subsidence in Norway and Europe, similar maps over Svalbard are important.
"InSAR Svalbard will enable monitoring of the stability of critical infrastructure and invaluable cultural heritage sites that are vulnerable to change," says Bredal.
Read more about how InSAR Norway and the technology behind it work.
Important inputs from users
NGU and NORCE recently organized a meeting in Longyearbyen with the Norwegian Space Agency, NORCE, the Governor of Svalbard, Longyearbyen Local Council, Store Norske, UNIS, Met, Norwegian Polar Institute, Avinor, SINTEF, and NGI.
"We received several valuable suggestions on what InSAR Svalbard can be used for, and the types of data future users want. Some of the envisioned applications included where to develop based on challenging soil conditions, measurements of glacier speed, and monitoring of existing dwellings, mines, cultural heritage sites, and runways. It is equally important to provide information about areas that are stable, as well as mapping areas where settlements can occur," points out Bredal.
"Additionally, there was a desire to use the map and data in research and education, which is very nice," she adds.
Read more about user requirements, technical considerations, and product development plans on NORCE's website.
Launching in 2025
A challenge in Svalbard is the short snow-free seasons, as well as thawing and freezing processes that lead to subsidence during the summer months and uplift during the winter months. This makes it technically challenging to obtain good satellite measurements. Rapidly moving landforms, or snow and ice, can lead to the loss of measurement points. Read more about the limitations of InSAR technology.
“We are in the early phase of the project and have now listened to many eager and potential future users about what they want from InSAR Svalbard. Next, we will look at what is technically possible to achieve. Initially, we will likely prioritize creating good maps of the settlements on Svalbard. According to the plan, the first version of the InSAR Svalbard map should be completed by the end of 2025. It will be freely available to everyone, like NGU's other maps”, informs Bredal.