Topographic change on volcanoes from SRTM and other interferometric radars

Data from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) will permit extensive analysis of volcanoes and volcanic processes in many parts of the world that are infrequently studied by field volcanologists. In preparation for the release of the SRTM data, we have been conducting several studies of volcanoes using digital elevation data collected either from airborne interferometric radars (the TOPSAR and Star-3i systems) or from repeat-pass radar interferometry from the ERS-2 spacecraft. We report here on our results from these preparatory studies in the Philippines, Java and the Galapagos Islands, and suggest how SRTM observations will enhance future work in these areas.