Ground Deformation Monitoring Using InSAR and Hydrological Time Series and Least-Squares Wavelet Software: A Case Study in Catania, Italy

Studying water level fluctuation is crucial for water resource management and infrastructures. Groundwater level variations are due to recharge and/or discharge of water from aquifer because of anthropogenic activities or natural processes, e.g., rainfalls, irrigations, etc. Such variations may have a direct impact on ground deformation in the form land subsidence, land uplift, or landslide. Persistent Scatterers Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PS-InSAR) is an advanced satellite remote sensing technique which allows an effective monitoring of ground movement. In this work, PS-InSAR time series as well as precipitation and hydrological time series in a region in Catania, Italy are utilized, and their possible interconnections are investigated in the time-frequency domain using the tools in the least-squares wavelet software. It is shown how water level (surface water and groundwater) variations may have an impact on ground deformation.