The application of InSAR DEMs for volcanic hazard assessments in New Zealand

Radar interferometry can be used to detect ground motion but also further processed to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMS). Sentinel-1 images are acquired continuously, and data is made available free of access in near real time making it a valuable tool for Earth observation and hazard assessment. Interferometric radar requires strong coherence between pairs of images used to be able to generate accurate results. This study on Mount Taranaki, New Zealand shows that the accuracy of InSAR generated DEMs is of limited potential in areas of dense vegetation and steep topography due to temporal decorrelation and geometrical distortions.