EPOS-PL+ project - infrastructure for long-term InSAR monitoring of mining induced deformations in Southern Poland

The second Polish realisation of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS), namely EPOS-PL+ project (2020-2023), comprised a dedicated task for development of an Infrastructure Centre for Satellite Data Research (CIBDS in Polish). The main task of the centre was to create a methodology for monitoring, modelling and prediction of the terrain deformations related with the extensive underground mining works taking place in the region of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB). This area is characterised with extremely dynamic surface changes consisting of small-scale deformation bowls (200-300m in radius) within short range from each other. The subsidence could reach between 0.6 up to 1.6 m per year, depending on the depth of the coal seams under explorations. The deposits are in depth between 400 and 1200 m, and are exploited in a multi-layer manner. The dynamics of the appearance of the subsidence patterns over time is closely related to the long-wall mining method used in this mining area. 

Within the CIBDS several modules for processing of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data have been developed. An automatic system for Differential Interferometric SAR (DInSAR) processing and postprocessing was developed based on the Alaska data facility repository of Sentinel-1 data, and the European Space Agency (ESA) tools SNAP and snappy. A new methodology was introduced for integration of lower quality but more detailed DInSAR terrain deformation maps with products created by the usage of Persistent scatterers (PSInSAR) technique, which have higher accuracy but lower coverage. The integrated deformation maps are validated with the results of campaign in-situ GNSS/levelling measurements.

A new methodology for modelling of the subsidence and 1-month prediction of the expected deformations have been designed on the basis of the Knothe-Budryk theory. FOr the purpose, artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities have been applied using the deformation maps generated by the DInSAR processing and external information about the rhythm and range of the mining works.

The newly developed system for terrain changes monitoring target the gaps that left in the commonly used platforms like European Ground Motion Service (EGMS) that cannot cover very extensive deformations and to support and upgrade the mining management and supervision.