L-Band DInSAR Surface Motion Products in Alpine Regions with SAOCOM

The Alps are prone to a variety of slope deformations. Precise information on the surface displacement of these phenomena is important to analyse and interpret the associated hazard potential. Satellite SAR interferometry is an attractive technology for monitoring surface deformation in large areas, and is now entering an advanced operational phase triggered by the increasing availability of satellite data, in particular Sentinel-1. However, C-band sensors have limited performance in vegetated areas and for comparatively large movement rates (e.g., a few cm/year). In these cases, L-band satellites can complement the high-frequency systems. Here we evaluate the performance of the Argentinian L-band SAOCOM mission for monitoring slope deformation in Alpine regions using standard differential interferograms and time series analysis. Despite the limited number of SAOCOM acquisitions to date and the much larger orbital tube of SAOCOM compared to other current SAR satellite missions, we were able to demonstrate the excellent performance of the Argentinian L-band mission in three different cases. With regular acquisitions every 16 to 32 days and the open distribution policy, SAOCOM can soon be established as an operational and efficient tool for the systematic monitoring of surface movements in Alpine regions, complementing the nationwide maps of land deformation developed based on the regular acquisitions of Sentinel-1 data since 2014.