US Egypt Cooperative Research: Evaluating Subsidence in the Nile Delta Using Radar Interferometry

1103843 该项目支持卡拉马祖西密歇根大学的Mohamed苏丹博士和埃及开罗国家遥感和空间科学局的Omar Cherif博士的一个合作研究项目。他们计划使用时间卫星雷达数据来测量整个三角洲沉降速率的时空变化，确定控制现代沉降的因素的性质，并预测三角洲在下一个世纪对这些强迫因素的反应。自然和人为参数之间的相互作用控制着沉降速率，并决定了三角洲是侵蚀还是侵蚀。自然参数包括构造运动和千年至十年的气候变化，伴随着干旱和湿度的大幅度波动以及海平面波动，而基于人类活动的参数可能主要与地下水和天然气的开采以及阿斯旺高坝对尼罗河的蓄水有关。私家侦探？对尼罗河三角洲东北部的雷达干涉测量（ERS-1和ERS-2）研究表明，现代沉降速率（高达8毫米/年）高于全新世平均沉降速率，其空间分布与全新世报告的分布不一致。PI建议扩大基于ERS的研究区域，以包括整个尼罗河三角洲。将包括一个大地测量部分，以提供地面测量和校准从干涉分析推断的运动。智力优点：这项研究将对整个尼罗河三角洲的沉降率进行评估，并确定控制沉降的因素。由于PI将开发预测工具，可以潜在地识别容易受到海水侵蚀的高沉降率区域，因此研究结果可用于制定合理的战略计划，以应对和/或调节这些不利影响。在这方面，我们的调查结果可能是至关重要的生计，至少有一半的埃及？8000万居民居住在三角洲，并依赖它来维持生计。描述的尼罗河三角洲的情况是世界上许多地方的典型情况。的三角洲，现在正在经历破坏阶段。到目前为止，应用程序类似于这里提倡的三角洲持续变形及其控制因素的评估，并在几十年到几百年的沉降作出现实的预测还没有得到充分的探讨。更广泛的影响：该项目的结果应导致在尼罗河三角洲成功地展示所倡导的程序，这将邀请其他三角洲采用类似的程序，并可能有益于居住在这些脆弱系统中的数亿人的生活。此外，拟议的活动将启动和提供一种手段，促进来自NARSS、WMU和UT的具有共同兴趣（遥感、地理信息系统和环境科学）的科学家之间的长期合作。两名研究生和三名本科生将接受新的研究技术培训。这些研究的结果将纳入研究生/本科生遥感和地理信息系统课程。所有提出的任务都将由美国科学家共同完成（来自西密歇根大学和托莱多大学）和他们的埃及同事（来自国家遥感和空间科学局），他将在埃及和美国接受雷达干涉测量和大地测量应用方面的培训。埃及联合基金计划，NSF支持美国方面，埃及政府资助埃及方面。

1103843 This project supports a cooperative research project by Dr. Mohamed Sultan, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo and Dr. Omar Cherif, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS) in Cairo, Egypt. They plan to use temporal satellite radar data to measure the spatial and temporal variations in subsidence rates across the entire Delta, identify the nature of the factors controlling modern subsidence, and predict the Delta response to these forcing factors over the next century. The interplay between natural and anthropogenic parameters controls subsidence rates and determines whether a delta progrades or erodes. Natural parameters include tectonic movements and millennial-to-decadal climate changes accompanied by wide swings in aridity and moisture and sea level fluctuations, whereasparameters based on human activity are probably largely related to extraction of groundwater andnatural gas and impoundment of the Nile River by the Aswan High Dam. The PIs? radar interferometric(ERS-1 and ERS-2) studies over the northeastern section of the Nile Delta indicate that modernsubsidence rates are high (up to 8 mm/yr) compared to average Holocene subsidence rates and that theirspatial distribution is inconsistent with the distribution reported for the Holocene. The PIs propose toexpand the ERS-based study area to include the entire Nile Delta. A geodetic component will beincluded to provide ground based measurements and calibrate the motions inferred from theinterferometric analyses. Intellectual merit: The research will produce an assessment of subsidence rates throughout the entire Nile Delta and the identification of the factors controlling the subsidence. Because the PIs will be developing predictive tools that can potentially identify areas of high subsidence rates that are prone to sea water encroachment, the findings could be used to develop sound strategic plans for combating and/or modulating these adverse effects. In this respect our findings could be vital to the livelihood of at least half of Egypt?s 80 million citizens that inhabit the Delta and depend on it for their sustenance. The conditions described for the Nile Delta are typical of many of the world?s deltas, now witnessing destructional phases. To date, applications similar to those advocated here for the assessment of ongoing deformation in deltas and their controlling factors and for making realistic projections for subsidence over tens to hundreds of years have not been fully explored. Broader impact: The project results should lead to a successful demonstration of the advocated procedures in the Nile Delta which will invite similar applications for deltas elsewhere and could potentially be beneficial to the lives of hundreds of millions of people who inhabit these fragile systems. Also, the proposed activities will initiate and provide a vehicle for long-term collaborations between scientists with common interests (remote sensing, GIS and environmental Sciences) from NARSS, WMU, and UT. Two Graduate students and three undergraduate students will trained in new research techniques. Results from these studies will be incorporated in graduate/undergraduate remote sensing and GIS courses. All proposedtasks will be accomplished jointly by US scientists (from Western Michigan University and theUniversity of Toledo) and their Egyptian colleagues (from the National Authority for Remote Sensingand Space Sciences) who will be receiving training in Egypt and USA on radar interferometric andgeodetic applications.This proposal is supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program where NSF supports the US side and the Government of Egypt funds the Egyptian side.