SqueeSAR™ can identify slip movements along active fault lines and characterize ground deformation caused by seismic activity.

As radar satellite imagery covers extensive areas, displacement caused by tectonic activity can be detected and analyzed over entire fault systems. SqueeSAR™ is capable of assessing tectonic settings, identifying slow tectonic displacements and measuring surface deformation due to earthquake events.

Tectonic Slip
SqueeSAR™ identifies a significantly higher density of ground measurement points than traditional techniques (e.g. GPS), allowing millimetre scale slip and creep movements along active faults to be monitored.

Regular acquisition of satellite images allows non-linear and aseismic deformation to be identified, whilst also determining fault geometries and aiding the identification of causative tectonic structures.

Earthquakes
Satellite images acquired pre- and post-event can be analyzed using SqueeSAR™ to determine quantitative deformation resulting from an earthquake event. Deformation maps together with traditional ground-based techniques (e.g. GPS) are used to infer event mechanisms.

By exploiting the regular acquisition of radar images, research is being conducted into the potential detection of pre-earthquake ground displacement.

Modeling
Ground movement data can be used to improve geomechanical fault models and aid the assessment of seismic hazard in high risk areas and areas prone to aseismic slip and creep.