Relationship of changes in moisture and deformation by Sentinel-1 data for the Mir Pipe

The study performs the integrated analysis of moisture and deformation activity on ground surface in the area of the Mir kimberlite pipe, Republic of Sakha, Yakutia using radar imagery from Sentinel-1. Spotlight is on the spatio-temporal moisture–deformation dynamics preceding an accident happened in 2017. For revealing the laws of development of geodynamic processes, the Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) was employed together with an adaptive approach to moisture estimation in ground subsurface using the Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI) calculated from radar data of VV and VH polarization. The comparative analysis of ground displacements and the estimate of NDMI sensitive to overmoistening is carried out using time series over a period of 2017–2019. The analysis proves that the space-based radar data allow tracing the changes in moisture and deformation of ground surface, and enable detecting their synchronous increase which may precede emergency situations at production facilities in the mining industry. The results demonstrate a sufficiently ample information content of the multi-sensor approach to the geodynamic risk prediction, and highlight the potential of integration of the radar technologies in the monitoring systems of risky mining facilities such as mines, tailings dams, dredging sites, etc. 

Shein N. S., Struchkova G. P., Tikhonova S. A., Kapitonova T. A., Tarskaya L. E. Relationship of changes in moisture and deformation by Sentinel-1 data for the Mir Pipe. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(7):143-156. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_7_0_143.

The study was carried out under the state contract with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Topic: Analysis of Mass Transfer and Heat Exchange n Multicomponent Dispersed Media Toward Enhanced Safety and Reliability of Natural-and-Technical Systems under Global Change of the Permafrost Area, R&D No. 124032600077-4, Topic No. FWRS-2024-0032.

N.S. Shein¹, Leading Engineer, e-mail: shnnick@yandex.ru, ORCID: 0009-0000-9413-7590,
G.P. Struchkova¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Leading Researcher, e-mail: pandoramy8@list.ru, ORCID: 0000-0002-5161-979X, 
S.A. Tikhonova¹, Researcher, e-mail: sardankobeleva@gmail.com, ORCID: 0000-0002-5737-2409,
T.A. Kapitonova¹, Cand. Sci. (Phys. Mathem.), Leading Researcher, e-mail: kapitonova@iptpn.ysn.ru, ORCID: 0000-0001-8513-032X,
L.E. Tarskaya¹, Leading Engineer, e-mail: lina.tarskaya@mail.ru, ORCID: 0000-0002-9040-5110,
¹ V.P. Larionov’s Institute of Physical-Technical Problems of the North, Siberian Branch of the RAS, 677980, Yakutsk, Russia.

N.S. Shein, e-mail: shnnick@yandex.ru.

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