An Influence of Snow Covers on the Radar Interferometry Observations of Industrial Infrastructure: Norilsk Thermal Power Plant Case

This manuscript presents the results of study snow covers’ influence on interferometric measurements stability industrial infrastructure in vicinity Norilsk city, Russia. Fuel tanks thermal power plant (TPP) were selected as an object due to a well-known accident when about 20,000 tons diesel fuel spilled from one tanks. Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar data acquired over territory TPP used DInSAR possible displacements that could be cause tank’s damage. For twelve days, interferograms generated covered cold and warm seasons 2018–2020, including catastrophic event—the rupture tank with fuel—in order shed light impact area subsidence because permafrost thaw under As walls adjacent concrete base constituted virtual dihedral corner reflector, accumulation surface near created distorting effect monitoring location. Three models layer within proposed help explain deviations signal amplitude phase case snowfalls occurring between observations. We propose three ways minimize measurements. One them, selection proper observation conditions, made it assess mutual location Among most important processing analysis paper is conclusion high yearly time interval, troubleshooting tank.