Ground displacement in Bucharest, Romania

Satellite radar scans show various points on and around the Palace of Parliament in Romania’s capital, Bucharest,  that are rising (blue) and sinking (red/orange) from 2011–14.

The radar data were processed using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI), a technique that can help detect and monitor movements over wide areas with high sensitivity. It typically works best with hard structures such as buildings, roads or railways, and can trace weak spots in such structures.

This image was produced by the Advanced Studies and Research Center, a Romanian company that processes and interprets optical and radar satellite date for public and private clients across the globe. The company has recently been validated by ESA’s Terrafirma project as a PSI service provider.