**GEOLOGY DISCIPLINE INSAR LABORATORY FOR STUDIES**

**OF NATURAL HAZARDS AND THE ENVIRONMENT**

Dan Dzurisin, Zhong Lu, and Wayne Thatcher

**Statement of problem** -- Interferometric synthetic aperture radar
(InSAR) is a state-of-the-art remote sensing tool with demonstrated
applicability to a wide range of USGS and GD missions, including natural
hazards assessment (volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, landslides, floods,
land subsidence) and ecosystem land-cover characterization and changes.
In addition, all-weather radar imaging is an indispensable tool for
arctic studies as part of International Polar Year activities.
Currently, GD InSAR efforts are spread across several geographic centers
(Vancouver WA, Menlo Park CA, Hawaii) and programs (Volcano Hazards,
Earthquake Hazards, Landslide Hazards, Earth Surface Dynamics, Coastal
and Marine Geology). Communication among scientists at the project level
is good, but there is no integrated GD strategy for utilization of
emerging radar technologies and development of cutting-edge data
processing and analysis tools. We propose that GD develop such a
strategy and ***create an InSAR "center of excellence"*** to serve as a
focus for multidisciplinary GD InSAR studies of natural hazards and the
environment.

**Objectives** -- Capitalize on existing USGS/GD expertise and
leadership in InSAR studies by: (1) creating an InSAR laboratory to
focus wide-ranging GD efforts, (2) facilitating exchange of data and
ideas among scientists and managers, (3) promoting more efficient
development of data analysis tools with applicability to studies of
natural hazards and the environment, and (4) enhancing the profile of
USGS/GD in the global InSAR community.

**Work strategy** -- ***Sponsor a workshop*** to bring together
scientists and managers interested in InSAR applications to USGS/GD
missions and science goals. Establish a geographically dispersed virtual
InSAR laboratory as a first step toward creating a GD center of
excellence for InSAR and related remote sensing studies. The lab will:
(1) continue development and implementation of an ***automated radar and
InSAR data processing system***, which is intended to promote broader
uses and applications of radar imagery and to lay the foundation for an
operational radar/InSAR monitoring system; (2) ***identify potential new
funding sources*** and other resources to promote development of
emerging radar and InSAR technologies; (3) explore opportunities for
***increased sharing of data and analysis tools***, for ***expanded
partnering*** with other government agencies and universities, and for
***coordination across Discipline and Team boundaries***; and (4)
***develop a bureau-level proposal*** to implement ideas for better
utilization of USGS InSAR expertise and data sets, including provision
for large data purchases that are beyond the reach of individual
programs. These efforts will be directed toward establishing a ***GD
center of excellence for InSAR studies of natural hazards and the
environment*** at the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver,
Washington, in FY 2008.

**Relevance and impact** -- This proposal aims to (1) improve GD
capabilities to assess and mitigate natural hazards, (2) identify
changing land cover patterns with implications for ecosystem health, and
(3) delineate areas of natural or induced land subsidence. A GD InSAR
lab would also serve as point of contact for InSAR studies in the other
USGS Disciplines.

**Partnerships** -- This proposal is timely in that the WInSAR
consortium of government and university researchers, with sponsorship
from NSF, NASA, and USGS, is in the process of reorganizing itself under
the leadership of UNAVCO. A window of opportunity exists to dovetail a
new GD InSAR strategy with the newly constituted WInSAR and thus to
facilitate partnerships throughout the InSAR community, including the
InSAR component of NSF's EarthScope program and NASA's Alaska Satellite
Facility at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.