Ground Subsidence and Earthquake Induced Settlements in Mexico City, Using Satellite Imagery
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Abstract
This study presents an integrated analysis of ground subsidence and earthquake-induced settlements in Mexico City using Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) techniques applied to Sentinel-1 satellite imagery. Subsidence in the Valley of Mexico-primarily caused by groundwater overexploitation-has historically led to significant structural damage across the urban landscape. While conventional monitoring methods such as benchmark leveling are effective, they are time- and resource-intensive. In this work, open-access Sentinel-1 data and the SNAP toolbox developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) were used to assess regional subsidence throughout 2016 and to identify sudden displacements linked to the September 2017 seismic events. Satellite-derived measurements were validated against historical benchmark data. The results demonstrate that DInSAR reliably captures both gradual subsidence patterns and abrupt, earthquake-related settlements, notably in the Historic Center and the vicinity of the Xico Volcano. Annual subsidence rates reached up to 0.45 m in some areas, while earthquake-induced deformations ranged from 0.01 to a 0.05 m. These findings highlight the effectiveness of satellite-based remote sensing as a cost-efficient and robust tool for ground subsidence monitoring in urban environments.
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