Towards improved estimates of ground failure susceptibility through the use of INSAR:collaborative research with the university of hawaii manoa, and the usgsproject period: 9 1 2025 through 8 31…

The University of Hawaii at Manoa received a $100,000 Project Grant award from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) under the Earthquake Hazards Program Assistance (CFDA 15.807) for the period September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. This collaborative research initiative will develop improved methodologies for assessing ground failure susceptibility—specifically liquefaction and lateral spreading—by leveraging Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) remote sensing data to identify spatial correlations between long-term ground displacement from anthropogenic activities and seismic-induced ground failure. The project addresses a critical gap in current earthquake hazard assessment practices, which rely on low-resolution hydrological and geographic data or sparse field measurements, by utilizing freely available, high-resolution space-based remote sensing data as a cost-effective and scalable alternative.

The deliverables include the production of InSAR deformation and coherence time series for multiple study locations in Southern and Northern California; generation of co-seismic damage proxy maps derived from InSAR coherence analysis; creation of liquefaction ejecta maps through optical satellite imagery change detection; and the application of statistical machine learning methods to correlate InSAR measurements with existing ground failure inventories. These outputs are designed to enhance the USGS's earthquake hazard and risk mitigation capabilities while improving scientific understanding of how anthropogenic activity influences ground failure susceptibility in industrial and urban areas.

Activities

1. Produce insar deformation and coherence time series pre- and or post-event for multiple locations.2. Produce a CO-seismic damage proxy map (DPM) from insar coherence and produce maps of liquefaction ejecta from change detection in optical satellite imagery.3. Gather process additional datasets such as geological and hydrological data.4. Compare and analyze data with statistical models and machine learning classification algorithms.deliverables and expected outcomes: the work done in this project will result in high resolution displacement time series for the target areas in southern CA and the BAY area, CA. The recipient will also produce new damage proxy maps and optical change maps for the area affected by the ridgecrest earthquake (2019). More importantly, this work will result in the development of models that relate pre- and or post-event anthropogenic deformation to CO-seismic ground failure.

Intended beneficiaries

This proposed investigation is relevant to the northern and southern california regional priority area as well as the hazard, impacts, and risk (HIR) category from the research initiatives outlined by the USGS earthquake hazards program.

Subrecipient activities

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