Geography and Regional Planning

Geography and Regional Planning

Assessing Geohazards on a Strategic Island: An InSAR-Based Characterization of Land Subsidence and Salt Diapirism in Qeshm, Persian Gulf.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Maziar Asmani 1
Kazem Bashirnezhad 2
1 Assistant professor, Department of Computer Engineering, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Mashhad, Iran
10.22034/jgeoq.2024.229611
Abstract
Qeshm Island, as the largest island in the Persian Gulf and a part of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, represents a unique geodynamic environment where natural geological processes, such as salt diapirism and active tectonics, intersect with intense anthropogenic pressures from groundwater over-extraction. This study quantitatively analyzes land surface deformation on the island between 2022 and 2024 using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) time-series analysis on a dataset of 39 Sentinel-1 images. The methodology is based on the Short Baseline Subset (SBAS) algorithm to derive the vertical displacement rate map and deformation time series. The findings reveal two distinct spatial patterns: a localized and significant uplift zone in the west with a maximum rate of +7.5 cm/year, attributed to salt dome activity, and two widespread subsidence bowls in the central and eastern regions with a maximum rate of -11.5 cm/year. Time-series analysis of specific points of interest confirms the direct correlation between subsidence and groundwater level decline through the identification of seasonal oscillations. Furthermore, the results indicate that existing fault structures play a crucial role in controlling the spatial pattern of subsidence. This study highlights the capability of InSAR technology for geohazard monitoring, provides a critical warning regarding risks to infrastructure and increased coastal flooding hazards on Qeshm, and underscores the necessity for sustainable water resource management.
Keywords
Land Subsidence
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR)
Qeshm Island
Tectonic Uplift
Groundwater
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