Summary
A study using advanced radar imaging reveals significant ground deformation in Rome's historic center, with vertical velocities exceeding -7.0 mm/year in areas of recent urbanization near the Tiber River. This deformation persists despite previous observations and is linked to the consolidation of compressible soil deposits. Researchers analyzed over 310,000 radar targets using COSMO-SkyMed StripMap HIMAGE data (2011–2013) with the Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterers (StaMPS), correlating findings with archaeological ruins, restoration activities, and building morphology. The study highlights ongoing structural challenges in Rome's historic monuments, including the Roman cistern on Oppian Hill.
Citation
Cigna, F., Lasaponara, R., Masini, N., Milillo, P., & Tapete, D. (2014). Persistent Scatterer Interferometry Processing of COSMO-SkyMed StripMap HIMAGE Time Series to Depict Deformation of the Historic Centre of Rome, Italy. Remote Sensing, 6(12), 12593–12618. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs61212593