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Mining industry

Ground Deformation in Shanxi Province, China, Studied Using Remote Sensing

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers have conducted a comprehensive study on ground deformation in Shanxi Province, China, employing wide-area interferometric synthetic aperture radar technology and ALOS-1 PALSAR data. The investigation focused on the vast coal mining areas in the region, which have been plagued by subsidence and geohazards due to the local arid climate's overdependence on groundwater. The study recovered provincial-scale ground deformation between 2007 and 2010, providing significant insights into the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of the deformation.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study used 1234 ALOS-1 PALSAR images from 67 frames to analyze ground deformation in Shanxi Province between 2007 and 2010.
  • The research identified 429 ground instability regions covering an area of 3,748.112 km², with a dense distribution of subsidence areas consistent with mining subsidence areas and plain agricultural regions.
  • The spatial distribution of the deformation was highly consistent with that of mining subsidence areas and plain agricultural regions.
  • Local surface deformation was more significant in plain areas, particularly in the Taiyuan Basin and Yuncheng Basin, due to the greater demand for groundwater.
  • The study provided basic data for ground stability surveys and government control in Shanxi Province, as well as a reference for provincial or regional-scale InSAR deformation monitoring.
  • The research highlights the importance of using remote sensing technology to monitor and mitigate the effects of ground deformation in coal mining areas.

Statistics:

  • 429 ground instability regions were identified, covering an area of 3,748.112 km².
  • The root-mean-square error of the independent solution of two adjacent frame common areas was 2.4 mm/yr.
  • The research analyzed 1234 ALOS-1 PALSAR images from 67 frames.
  • The study covered a period of three years, from 2007 to 2010.

Sources:

  • Deriving the Ground Deformation of the Whole Coal Mining Areas in Shanxi Province, China, by Wide-Area InSAR Technology and ALOS-1 PALSAR Data. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 2025,18():24027-24038.
  • NewsRx. Study Findings on Remote Sensing Detailed by Researchers at Chinese Academy of Sciences (Deriving the Ground Deformation of the Whole Coal Mining Areas in Shanxi Province, China, by Wide-Area InSAR Technology and ALOS-1 PALSAR Data). China Weekly News. October 14, 2025; p 698.

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