Mining-Induced Land Subsidence Detected by Persistent Scatterer InSAR: Case Study in Pniówek Coal Mine, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland

In Europe, coal energy has recently been limited due to environmental pollution. However, other sources still do not provide enough energy for European countries. Additionally, the limitation in coal exploitation has resulted in reducing labor market in mining workers. Therefore, despite having to pay a fine every day, coal mines are still operated in Poland. Pniowek is a fifty-year coal mine in the south of Poland with over 1000 m depth. It is one of the largest coal reserves in Poland, with a total operative resource 101.9 million tons. This mine provides about 12,200 tons of coal every day. This paper uses 44 images Sentinel-1A satellite data from June 19th 2018 to December 23rd 2019 with InSAR technology to determine subsidence and ongoing deformation on and around this mine. The study results are useful for policymakers, managers, and authorities with a better management system. This is because land subsidence is happening and destroying infrastructure, and threatening people live in the area. The results, which are processed by the Persistent Scatterer InSAR (PSInSAR) method with the Sentinel Application Platform (SNAP) and the Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterers software packages (StaMPS), show that the subsidence has occurred in most of the areas. The maximum line-of-sight (LOS) displacement of up to -40 mm/yr is found in the residential area near the mine in Pawlowice village, while the LOS displacement within the Pniowek mine reaches - 36.7 mm/yr.