Ground motion over Jakarta, Indonesia

The Indonesian capital of Jakarta is home to 10 million people and is also one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world. Researchers suggest that parts of the megacity could be entirely submerged by 2050.

By using a large number of radar satellite images over a two-year period, it is possible to accurately calculate ground subsidence. This image shows the mean ground displacement rates based on Sentinel-1 radar data from 2017-2018. Areas in red show major displacement over time with some areas showing local sinking patterns reach around 12 cm per year.

By comparing radar images over time, data from Sentinel-1 can be used to generate detailed displacement maps, essential for tracking subsidence, landslides, volcanic activity and infrastructure stability.