Sensing the ups and downs of Las Vegas: InSAR reveals structural control of land subsidence and aquifer-system deformation

Geology
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Abstract

Land subsidence in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, between April 1992 and December 1997 was measured using spaceborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar. The detailed deformation maps clearly show that the spatial extent of subsidence is controlled by geologic structures (faults) and sediment composition (clay thickness). The maximum detected subsidence during the 5.75 yr period is 19 cm. Comparison with leveling data indicates that the subsidence rates declined during the past decade as a result of rising ground-water levels brought about by a net reduction in ground-water extraction. Temporal analysis also detects seasonal subsidence and uplift patterns, which provide information about the elastic and inelastic properties of the aquifer system and their spatial variability.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Sensing the ups and downs of Las Vegas: InSAR reveals structural control of land subsidence and aquifer-system deformation
Series title Geology
DOI 10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0483:STUADO>2.3.CO;2
Volume 27
Issue 6
Year Published 1999
Language English
Contributing office(s) Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Geology
First page 483
Last page 486
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