Multi-annual Rock Glacier Velocity (RGV) products based on InSAR 

• DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu24-8327
• Publication Date: 2024-03-08T18:18:58Z
• Authors: Lea Schmid; Line Rouyet; Reynald Delaloye; Cécile Pellet; Nina Jones; Tazio Strozzi

Rock glaciers are debris landforms resulting from the creep of mountain permafrost. Whereas motion rates related to multiple structural, topographic and climatic factors, range a few cm/a m/a, their interannual variations primarily linked those thermal state With objective provide novel climate change indicator suitable for permafrost environments, established parameters Essential Climate Variable (ECV) Permafrost Active Layer Thickness (ALT) Temperature (PT) have been complemented in 2021 by Glacier Velocity (RGV). RGV is an annualized rock glacier velocity time series documenting rate Relative changes extracted sites needed robustly represent signal. However, production on basis in-situ measurements costly therefore restricted some specific sites. We propose new approach extract using spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR). used Sentinel-1 SAR images (wavelength: approx. 5.55 cm) between 2015 2022 compute average (stack) interferograms with short temporal baselines 6 12 days, spatially distributed identify dominant trends through clustering. Pilot results selected Switzerland show good agreement InSAR-based measured Swiss Monitoring Network PERMOS, especially regarding relative velocities. Despite limitations, method makes it possible systematically large amount glaciers, thereby contributing further use as indicator. Future research will focus testing additional emphasis analysis 12-day (current repeat-pass). aim produce ranges worldwide, providing comprehensive dataset InSAR-based-RGV products.