Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : ASSESSING THE RISK OF LAND SUBSIDENCE IN THE LOWER LIMPOPO RIVER BASIN, MOZAMBIQUE WITH REMOTE SENSING

Auteur : Zuccolotto Gabriella

Etablissement de soutenance : Duquesne University

Grade : Master of Science (MS) 2022

Résumé
Land subsidence is a threat to coastal cities around the world. In the lower Limpopo River Basin, the presence of compaction-prone alluvial sediments, groundwater use, and reports of saltwater intrusion suggest that subsidence could be occurring. Using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) from Sentinel-1, combined with in-situ sea level and river height measurements, this study aims to determine if land subsidence could contribute to increased saltwater intrusion. InSAR results indicate that subsidence in the lower Limpopo River valley has occurred at an average rate of -2.98 cm/yr based on data from the dry seasons (May to October) of 2017-2021. River height is decreasing at a rate of -1.93 cm/yr and sea level is rising at 0.114 cm/yr. Given the detected rate of land subsidence, this presents a novel risk for relative sea level rise and likely contributes to the increased salinization of the lower Limpopo River.

Présentation

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