TY - JOUR

T1 - Multi-sensor remote sensing analysis of coal fire induced land subsidence in Jharia Coalfields, Jharkhand, India

AU - Karanam, Vamshi

AU - Motagh, Mahdi

AU - Garg, Shagun

AU - Jain, Kamal

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported in part by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) under Grant reference number 91755744. The authors acknowledge the European Space Agency (ESA) for providing Sentinel-1 datasets and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for providing Landsat-8 datasets. We thank the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions and comments.

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - The subsidence in coal mines induced by surface and subsurface fires leading to roof collapse, infrastructure loss, and loss of lives is a prominent concern. In the study, satellite imagery from thermal and microwave remote sensing data is used to deduce the effect of coal fires on subsidence in the Jharia Coalfields, India. The Thermal Infrared data acquired from the Landsat-8 (band 10) is used to derive the temperature anomaly maps. Persistent Scatterer Interferometry analysis was performed on sixty Sentinel-1, C-band images, the results are corrected for atmospheric error using Generic Atmospheric Correction Online Service for InSAR (GACOS) atmospheric modelling data and decomposed into vertical displacement values to quantify subsidence. A zone-wise analysis of the hazard patterns in the coalfields was carried out. Coal fire maps, subsidence velocity maps, and land cover maps were integrated to investigate the impact of the hazards on the mines and their surroundings. Maximum subsidence of approximately 20 cm/yr. and temperature anomaly of up to 25 °C has been observed. The findings exhibit a strong positive correlation between the subsidence velocity and temperature anomaly in the study area. Kusunda, Keshalpur, and Bararee collieries are identified as the most critically affected zones. The subsidence phenomenon in some collieries is extending towards the settlements and transportation networks and needs urgent intervention.

AB - The subsidence in coal mines induced by surface and subsurface fires leading to roof collapse, infrastructure loss, and loss of lives is a prominent concern. In the study, satellite imagery from thermal and microwave remote sensing data is used to deduce the effect of coal fires on subsidence in the Jharia Coalfields, India. The Thermal Infrared data acquired from the Landsat-8 (band 10) is used to derive the temperature anomaly maps. Persistent Scatterer Interferometry analysis was performed on sixty Sentinel-1, C-band images, the results are corrected for atmospheric error using Generic Atmospheric Correction Online Service for InSAR (GACOS) atmospheric modelling data and decomposed into vertical displacement values to quantify subsidence. A zone-wise analysis of the hazard patterns in the coalfields was carried out. Coal fire maps, subsidence velocity maps, and land cover maps were integrated to investigate the impact of the hazards on the mines and their surroundings. Maximum subsidence of approximately 20 cm/yr. and temperature anomaly of up to 25 °C has been observed. The findings exhibit a strong positive correlation between the subsidence velocity and temperature anomaly in the study area. Kusunda, Keshalpur, and Bararee collieries are identified as the most critically affected zones. The subsidence phenomenon in some collieries is extending towards the settlements and transportation networks and needs urgent intervention.

KW - Coal fires

KW - Coal mining

KW - Land subsidence

KW - Land surface temperature

KW - Persistent scatterer interferometry

KW - Temperature anomaly

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120079722&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jag.2021.102439

DO - 10.1016/j.jag.2021.102439

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85120079722

VL - 102

JO - International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation

JF - International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation

SN - 1569-8432

M1 - 102439

ER -