Deformation Detection in the Socompa Volcano (Province of Salta, Argentina) Using Radar Interferometric Method (SBAS)
Eugenia Mariana Wright, María Laura Pardo Duró, and Federico Carballo
Argentina Geological Mining Survey and University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Abstract: The remote sensing area of the Geomatics Department of SEGEMAR (Argentina Geological Mining Survey) monitors the 39 volcanoes considered active in the Argentine Republic. Each volcano is analyzed by SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) image processing applying InSAR (SAR Interferometry) techniques to identify deformation. In July 2021, an anomalous pattern was observed at the Socompa volcano. Consequently, a more detailed analysis was carried out by generating 2 time series of Sentinel-1 images with DInSAR SBAS (Differential SAR Interferometry Small BAseline Subset) technique in order to analyze its spatio-temporal characteristics. The Socompa volcano (24.3963°S 68.2456°W) is an active volcano of Quaternary age located in the Province of Salta, on the border between Argentina and Chile. The presence of fumaroles near its crater and other thermal manifestations such as springs that outcrop on the shore of saline lagoons, hot springs at the base of the volcanic edifice and the presence of warm soils suggest the existence of an anomalous thermal gradient in the region. The strong evidence of hydrothermal activity under the volcanic edifice is probably associated with the magmatic chamber that is still active inside it. This work shows the results obtained for ascending and descending time series of SAR images for the period October 2014–July 2023, evidencing deformation of the volcano.
Key words: Socompa Volcano, DInSAR SBAS, deformation, time series
