Analysis of non linear land subsidence in Mexico city lacustrine plain
Abstract
Mexico city, one of the biggest cities in the world, faces a subsidence problem mostly caused by heavy groundwater extraction from its aquifer. To monitor subsidence, from 2002 to 2007, we developed time series using InSAR and the Small Baseline interferograms (SBAS) approach. Results showed that subsidence rates can reach up to 40 cm/yr and that most of the subsidence in Mexico city's plain can be explained almost perfectly using a linear model. In fact, most of the previous studies focus mainly on linear subsidence processes. However, we detected some areas distributed on the plain showing two clear patterns of non-linear behavior: acceleration and deceleration. The spatial and temporal distribution of these areas can be related with geological features and rates of groundwater withdrawal taking place in the surrounding areas. In this work, results are presented over an area of the most populated district of the city where subsidence velocity appears to be increasing rapidly. The phenomenon is analyzed through the integration of InSAR results with different field monitoring techniques including Ground Penetrating Radar and geomechanical analysis in selected points.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFMNH33B..03L
- Keywords:
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- 4302 NATURAL HAZARDS / Geological;
- 4325 NATURAL HAZARDS / Megacities and urban environment;
- 4333 NATURAL HAZARDS / Disaster risk analysis and assessment;
- 4337 NATURAL HAZARDS / Remote sensing and disasters