In the heart of China’s Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), a groundbreaking method is revolutionizing landslide detection, offering a beacon of hope for the energy sector and beyond. Dr. Huayan Dai, from the School of Geosciences and Info-Physics at Central South University, has pioneered a novel approach called intermittent Stacking (IStacking), a game-changer in the realm of landslide monitoring.
The TGRA, with its steep terrain and dense vegetation, presents a formidable challenge for conventional time-series InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) methods. These areas, characterized by low coherence for short-wavelength SAR signals, often result in minimal deformation detection capabilities. “Traditional methods struggle in these conditions,” Dai explains, “but our IStacking method has achieved a remarkable 96% coverage ratio, a significant leap from the mere 4% detected by conventional methods.”
The implications for the energy sector are profound. Landslides pose a substantial risk to infrastructure, particularly in regions like the TGRA, which is home to the world’s largest hydroelectric dam. Accurate and timely detection of landslides can prevent catastrophic failures, ensuring the safety and longevity of these critical energy structures. “This technology can be a lifesaver,” Dai asserts, “not just for people, but for the energy infrastructure that powers our world.”
The IStacking method’s ability to rapidly calculate high-coverage deformation makes it an invaluable tool for wide-area monitoring. By analyzing 152 ascending Sentinel-1 SAR images from January 2018 to June 2023, Dai and his team demonstrated the method’s efficacy. The results were validated using high-resolution Google imagery and ground-based GPS data, underscoring the method’s reliability.
Published in the IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing (translated to English as “IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing”), this research opens new avenues for landslide detection in challenging environments. The method’s simplicity and efficiency make it a practical solution for real-world applications, promising to enhance safety and stability in the energy sector.
As we look to the future, the IStacking method could shape the next generation of landslide monitoring technologies. Its potential to exploit the intermittent coherence properties of pixels offers a powerful tool for deformation monitoring, not just in the TGRA, but in low-coherence regions worldwide. This innovation could redefine our approach to landslide detection, ensuring a safer and more secure energy landscape for all.