The power of interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) when applied to studies of crustal deformation has been fully demonstrated by Massonnet et al. (1993, 1994) and Zebker et al. (1994) for the Landers, California earthquake of June 28, 1992. This method is unique in its capability of providing a two-dimensional representation of a deformation with a dense spatial coverage over most of the globe. Since 1994, the Geographical Survey Institute (GSI) has been conducting a study on applications of differential InSAR (Interferometric SAR) for the detection of crustal deformations associated with earthquakes and volcanic activities. Crustal deformations of many episodes were mapped by InSAR, such as those due to the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake, the 1995 Neftegorsk earthquake, and volcanic deformations of Mt. Iwate and Mt. Usu. These interferograms played an important role in constructing geophysical models.
