Perspectives of Crustal Deformation Research in Japan with Synthetic Aperture Radar

Abstract

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been widely used in crustal deformation studies all over the world. Especially the Japanese Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) contributed so much to the studies of large earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and other phenomena, and Japanese researchers presented many remarkable results in international journals and conferences. Studies with SAR, however, depend on the environment including satellites, software, data distribution etc. International research community is taking a step forward earlier than the Japanese community, by establishing research alliances between several disciplines. New techniques are frequently proposed and discussed in several international meetings. Data and software are widely and freely distributed in the international research community. Although the ALOS-2 will be launched in the near future and Japanese researchers may have privileges on the access to data, it is important to discuss the strategy that do not heavily depend on ALOS-2. Collaboration among researchers in related fields of SAR technologies and earth sciences is indispensable to achieve the international competition in research. It is also important for Japanese researchers to present the potential and attractiveness of SAR studies to young students.