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Integration of Infrared Thermography and GB-InSAR for Dynamic Monitoring of Rock Face Movements: Case Study of La Cornalle Cliff (Switzerland).

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Title: Integration of Infrared Thermography and GB-InSAR for Dynamic Monitoring of Rock Face Movements: Case Study of La Cornalle Cliff (Switzerland).
Authors: Wolff, Charlotte1 (AUTHOR) charlotte.wolff@unil.ch, Fei, Li1,2 (AUTHOR), Rivolta, Carlo2,3 (AUTHOR), Merrien-Soukatchoff, Véronique1,3 (AUTHOR), Derron, Marc-Henri1,2 (AUTHOR), Jaboyedoff, Michel1,3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Remote Sensing. May2026, Vol. 18 Issue 10, p1534. 27p.
Subjects: Thermography, Radar interferometry, Rock deformation, Remote sensing, Mechanical loads, Thermal expansion, Erosion
Geographic Terms: Switzerland
Abstract: Highlights: What are the main findings? This study is a first successful pilot application of GB-InSAR monitoring to detect sub-millimeter rock face movements induced by daily thermal expansion and contraction of a sandstone compartment. Strong correlations between rock face movements and environmental forcing (air temperature and solar radiation) occur, with an estimated response delay varying between 1 and 8 h. What are the implications of the main findings? Coupling GB-InSAR and IRT imagery offers an innovative approach for understanding the rock mechanical response to daily, seasonal, or annual thermal and solar radiation variations. Extending the monitoring duration with the integration of additional remote and in situ techniques (e.g., LiDAR, crackmeters, and pyranometers) can improve the understanding of the rock fatigue and of the rockfall activity triggers that lead to the cliff erosion processes. Rockfall events are significant natural hazards on fractured rock cliffs, often driven by environmental forcing, including thermal variations that induce stress and fatigue in rocks. This study presents the first application of Ground-Based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (GB-InSAR) for high-resolution monitoring of sub-millimeter thermally induced displacements on a rock slope. An eight-day pilot experiment conducted at the La Cornalle molasse cliff (Vaud, Switzerland) revealed cyclic displacement signals with a clear 24 h periodicity, identified through Fourier and wavelet analyses, with a mean amplitude of 5 × 10−4 m. Simultaneously, infrared thermography (IRT) and a weather station recorded rock surface and air temperature variations, allowing a first estimation of the time lag between thermal forcing and mechanical response, with delays of 1–8 h relative to air temperature and 1–6 h relative to solar radiation. An analytical deformation model based on thermal diffusion predicts a daily displacement amplitude of 4.2 × 10−5 m, highlighting a significant difference with GB-InSAR observations and emphasizing the influence of structural complexity and thermo-hydro-mechanical processes in rock slopes. These results demonstrate the capability of combined high-resolution remote sensing techniques to quantify thermo-mechanical behavior in rock masses and provide a methodological framework for future investigations of rockfall-prone slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Integration of Infrared Thermography and GB-InSAR for Dynamic Monitoring of Rock Face Movements: Case Study of La Cornalle Cliff (Switzerland).
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Remote+Sensing%22">Remote Sensing</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 18 Issue 10, p1534. 27p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermography%22">Thermography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Radar+interferometry%22">Radar interferometry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rock+deformation%22">Rock deformation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Remote+sensing%22">Remote sensing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mechanical+loads%22">Mechanical loads</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+expansion%22">Thermal expansion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Erosion%22">Erosion</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Switzerland%22">Switzerland</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Highlights: What are the main findings? This study is a first successful pilot application of GB-InSAR monitoring to detect sub-millimeter rock face movements induced by daily thermal expansion and contraction of a sandstone compartment. Strong correlations between rock face movements and environmental forcing (air temperature and solar radiation) occur, with an estimated response delay varying between 1 and 8 h. What are the implications of the main findings? Coupling GB-InSAR and IRT imagery offers an innovative approach for understanding the rock mechanical response to daily, seasonal, or annual thermal and solar radiation variations. Extending the monitoring duration with the integration of additional remote and in situ techniques (e.g., LiDAR, crackmeters, and pyranometers) can improve the understanding of the rock fatigue and of the rockfall activity triggers that lead to the cliff erosion processes. Rockfall events are significant natural hazards on fractured rock cliffs, often driven by environmental forcing, including thermal variations that induce stress and fatigue in rocks. This study presents the first application of Ground-Based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (GB-InSAR) for high-resolution monitoring of sub-millimeter thermally induced displacements on a rock slope. An eight-day pilot experiment conducted at the La Cornalle molasse cliff (Vaud, Switzerland) revealed cyclic displacement signals with a clear 24 h periodicity, identified through Fourier and wavelet analyses, with a mean amplitude of 5 × 10−4 m. Simultaneously, infrared thermography (IRT) and a weather station recorded rock surface and air temperature variations, allowing a first estimation of the time lag between thermal forcing and mechanical response, with delays of 1–8 h relative to air temperature and 1–6 h relative to solar radiation. An analytical deformation model based on thermal diffusion predicts a daily displacement amplitude of 4.2 × 10−5 m, highlighting a significant difference with GB-InSAR observations and emphasizing the influence of structural complexity and thermo-hydro-mechanical processes in rock slopes. These results demonstrate the capability of combined high-resolution remote sensing techniques to quantify thermo-mechanical behavior in rock masses and provide a methodological framework for future investigations of rockfall-prone slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.3390/rs18101534
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 27
        StartPage: 1534
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Thermography
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Radar interferometry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Rock deformation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Remote sensing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mechanical loads
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermal expansion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Erosion
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Switzerland
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Integration of Infrared Thermography and GB-InSAR for Dynamic Monitoring of Rock Face Movements: Case Study of La Cornalle Cliff (Switzerland).
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            NameFull: Wolff, Charlotte
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            NameFull: Rivolta, Carlo
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              M: 05
              Text: May2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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