InSAR deformation monitoring of carbon sequestration areas considering GNSS atmospheric correction

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) has emerged as a effective strategy for mitigating atmospheric CO2 emissions. However, the large-scale subsurface injection of CO2 may induce ground surface deformation, potentially compromising the long-term integrity of CO2 storage. To investigate surface displacement patterns in CCUS project areas following CO2 injection, this study employed the Small Baseline Subset Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-InSAR) technique to analyze 45 ascending Sentinel-1A images acquired between January 2022 and August 2024, enabling comprehensive deformation monitoring over a 2.5-year period in a Chinese CCUS geological storage site. Recognizing the impact of tropospheric delay errors on InSAR measurements, we developed an enhanced atmospheric delay correction approach synergizing Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data and ERA5 reanalysis data, specifically optimized for small-scale regional applications. Analysis of the phase-unwrapped interferograms confirms that our GNSS-constrained atmospheric correction approach significantly reduces tropospheric delay artifacts in localized interferometric observations. The derived InSAR deformation field reveals distinct surface displacement patterns in the CO2 injection zone, with measured vertical deformation rates ranging from 0 to 10 mm/a. Deformation time series analysis at monitoring points adjacent to injection wells reveals a consistent response: initial surface uplift immediately following CO2 injection, followed by gradual subsidence after several months. This pattern was confirmed through comparative analysis of InSAR-derived vertical displacements (converted from LOS measurements) and independent GNSS observations. This study demonstrates that the synergistic use of GNSS and InSAR technologies enables precise monitoring of millimeter-scale surface deformation in CCUS operational areas. The GNSS infrastructure serves dual purposes: (1) enhancing InSAR measurement accuracy through tropospheric delay correction, and (2) providing independent validation of InSAR-derived deformation results. These findings underscore the critical importance of integrated geodetic monitoring for ensuring the safety and efficacy of CO2 geological storage operations.