Yushu earthquake synergic analysis using multimodal SAR datasets

The large earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale that occurred in Yushu County, Qinghai Province, China, on April 14, 2010, caused a huge loss of life and major damage to people’s properties. Using three modal synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) datasets, wide-swath SAR, interferometric SAR and polarimetric SAR, the following studies were conducted: (1) From Radarsat-2 wide swath SAR data, the regional geological structures and lithologic distribution characteristics of the Yushu earthquake were analyzed. (2) Using advanced land observing satellite/phased array L-band interferometric SAR data, the coseismic deformation field of the Yushu earthquake was obtained, and the size and spatial distribution of deformation were studied combining with the result of regional geological background analysis. (3) From Radarsat-2 polarimetric SAR data, the H-α-ρ method was used to extract the spatial distribution of building collapse caused by the earthquake in the Yushu urban area, and the reasons for the severe earthquake damage to buildings are also discussed and assessed. The study results demonstrate the effectiveness and important potential of using multimodal SAR data for synergic analysis and assessment of earthquake disasters.