Satellite shows magnitude of quake damage in China
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Australian researchers are providing the Chinese government with detailed assessment of the area devastated by the May 12 quake that claimed more than 60,000 lives.
The high-resolution map generated from analysis of satellite images shows the ground lifting by up to five metres in areas affected by the quake.
Radar satellite survey of the devastated area by researchers at the University of New South Wales is giving China information about the level of damage from the magnitude 8.0 temblor.
Researcher Chris Rizos said after the race began to rescue survivors, he and his team joined a global race to determine the size of the quake-induced movement, important for assessing the degree of landslips and other dangers, and assisting the recovery mission.
“Our team joined the race to generate the first ground displacement map for the quake using satellite radar interferometry, a remote sensing technique which can be used to assess damage, support the rescue missions and better understand the quake event itself,” Rizos said.
Linlin Ge, another member of the team, said the China Earthquake Authority could overlay the image provided by them onto satellite photos to assess damage around buildings or bridges.
“The larger the ground deformation, the more likely the structures will be damaged,” he said.
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