Time Series Assessment of Land Subsidence in the Tabriz Plain Using the Short Baseline Subset (SBAS) Interferometric Radar Technique and Its Relationship with Groundwater

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor of Geomorphology, Department of Geomorphology, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Sciences, Uni-versity of Tabriz, Tabriz

2 Professor of Geomorphology, Department of Geomorphology, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Sciences, Uni-versity of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

3 Associate Professor, department of RS & GIS, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Science, University of Tabriz

4 PhD student in Geomorphology, Department of Geomorphology, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Sciences, Uni versity of Tabriz, Tabriz

10.22034/hyd.2026.71631.1840

Abstract

, this investigation was conducted with the primary objective of assessing the ground deformation potential (subsidence) in the Tabriz Plain, encompassing the period from 2017 to 2024, as an integral part of the Lake Urmia catchment basin. To achieve this objective, forty-three (43) Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images acquired within the aforementioned temporal span were utilized, employing the Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) Time-Series Interferometry technique. The results obtained from the time-series interferometric analysis indicate that the study area experienced vertical displacements ranging from +9 cm (uplift) to -72 cm (subsidence) between 2017 and 2024. Based on these findings, it can be stated that the marginal areas of the Tabriz Plain are experiencing uplift of approximately 1 to 3 cm annually, which signifies the region’s active tectonics. Concurrently, the central Tabriz Plain is undergoing subsidence at a rate of approximately 10 cm per year. The results of the spatial analysis of the occurred subsidence indicate that the highest rates of subsidence are associated with the central regions of the Tabriz Plain and the northern sections of the main Tabriz-Urmia highway. The examination of the groundwater level data also clearly demonstrated that the severe decline in primary groundwater resources is the main driver (or primary trigger) for the observed land subsidence.

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Journal of Hydrogeomorphology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 16 May 2026

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History

  • Receive Date: 19 February 2026
  • Revise Date: 12 May 2026
  • Accept Date: 16 May 2026

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