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The article presents information on how to use satellite interferometry to detect linear discontinuous ground deformation [LDGD] caused by underground mining. Assumptions were made based on the properties of the SAR signal correlation coefficient (coherence). Places of LDGD have been identified based on these assumptions. Changes taking place on the surface between two acquisitions lead to worse correlation between two radar images. This results in lower values of the SAR signal correlation coefficient in the coherence maps. Therefore, it was assumed that the formation of LDGD could reduce the coherence value compared to the previous state. The second assumption was an increase in the standard deviation of coherence, which is a classic measurement of variability. Therefore any changes in the surface should lead to increasing standard deviation of coherence compared to the previous state. Images from the Sentinel-1 satellite and provided by the ESA were used for analysis. The research is presented on the basis of two research areas located in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin in the south of Poland. The area in which LDGD could occur was limited to 6 % of the total area in case 1 and 36 % in case 2 by applying an appropriate methodology of satellite image coherence analysis. This paper is an introduction to the development of a method of detecting LDGDs caused by underground mining and to study these issues further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study deals with the analysis of temporal gravity variations in central Poland, deduced from multiple sources and covering the period from 2002–2016. The gravity data sets used comprise GRACE monthly solutions, GLDAS land surface models and absolute gravimeter measurements from the FG-5 gravimeter located in Józefosław, Poland. All data are corrected using standard processing methods in order to include the same gravity effects. After removing the annual and semi-annual components from all data using least-squares spectral analysis and seasonal-trend decomposition, the deseasoned time series are derived and examined for signatures of extreme hydrological events. The signatures of several severe drought and flood conditions affecting Poland and central Europe are identified. A complementary correlation analysis is performed to assess the level of agreement between different data sources. A higher correlation is shown when the analysis is restricted in the 2009–2012 period that includes the 2010 extreme flood and 2011 increased precipitation events, both affecting Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]