Determination of the Long-Term Ground Surface Displacements Using a PSI Technique—Case Study on Wrocław (Poland)

Abstract

Wrocław is a major city located in the southwestern part of Poland in an aseismic tectonic fault zone. Slow, long-term, vertical displacements have been observed there from the 1930s based on the levelling network measurements with the use of a precise levelling method. Due to the high cost of classic surveys, these were performed at intervals of several decades and the most recent measurement of ground surface displacement was performed in 1999. The main aim of this study is to determine the ground surface displacements on the area of Wrocław in the 1995–2019 period, the spatio-temporal analysis of deformations and the identification of the potential factors causing these deformations. To determine the ground movements, an advanced PSI technique and data from ERS-2, Envisat, and Sentinel-1 sensors were used. Application of SAR technology for the first time in this area, provided new knowledge about the process of deformation in short time intervals over the entire area of the city. The results verify the hypothesis on the linearity of displacements obtained from historical geodetic observations. The obtained results show that the displacements, which continue to occur in the area of Wrocław have a cyclic character with 4–5 year long period of subsidence and 2–3 year long periods of stabilization or uplift. The displacement trends indicate that the area of the city gradually subsides in relation to the reference area located on the Fore-Sudetic Block.