Abstract ID: 3.13373 | Accepted as Poster | Poster | TBA | TBA

Glacial retreat and associated geomorphological and preglacial processes lead to significant changes in the surrounding environment and increase the risk for natural hazards, such as slope instabilities and landslides. Time series Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a powerful technique for measuring and monitoring surface deformation with sub-centimeter accuracy. However, linking measured surface deformation to slope instability and landslides remains challenging and requires further investigation. This study examines the application of the InSAR methodology in combination with geomorphological slope characteristics to identify slow-moving landslides and unstable slopes in selected high-mountain areas in Tyrol and Salzburg, Austria. We use freely available Sentinel-1 SAR time series data and the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) InSAR technique to detect surface deformation and measure displacement velocities from 2015 to 2024. The InSAR results are used to locate areas exhibiting high deformation rates. The areas are then integrated with Slope Units (SUs) derived from very high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) data. SUs are morphological terrain units defined by drainage and dividing lines. A critical threshold, based on statistical measures, such as standard deviation, is applied to distinguish active versus stable areas. The identified slow-moving landslides and unstable SUs are interpreted in relation to changing glacier outlines to better understand the potential linkages between landslides and glacier retreat. Furthermore, we overlay and assess the results with alpine hiking infrastructure data, i.e. trails and huts, to identify potentially affected trail sections or huts. This research provides valuable insights into the consequences of glacier retreat and related environmental spatio-temporal changes. The findings can contribute to natural hazard and risk assessments and support monitoring and mitigation strategies.