Crustal deformation and lava flow associated with the 2022 Mauna Loa (Hawaii) volcanic eruption using interferometric and polarimetric analysis of EOS-04 and Sentinel-1 SAR data

Mauna Loa volcano (Hawaii) is the world’s largest subaerial volcano. Interferometric analysis of ISRO’s EOS-04 and ESA’s Sentinel-1 SAR images provided a detailed view on the surface deformation associated with the 2022 Mauna Loa volcano eruption. Co-eruptive InSAR analysis of Sentinel-1 data revealed Line-of-Sight deformation of ±50 cm along the NE and SW rift zones. The complex bipolar deformation pattern in ascending and descending tracks suggests vertical and horizontal deformation associated with the sub-surface magma ascent and spreading respectively. InSAR analysis of EOS-04 data revealed concentric interfero­metric fringes east of the caldera. This near-circular deformation lobe (~ –13 cm) could be interpreted either as post-eruptive volcanic deflation or topographically correlated atmospheric artefact. Polarimetric and coherence based analysis revealed extensive lava flow along the SW and NE rifts (~15 km) and further towards the north along a topographic channel for about 16 km. Polarimetric radar analysis of a fresh lava flow channel associated with the NE rift zone revealed a transition between smooth pāhoehoe and rough a’a flow textures along its current extent. The present study demonstrates the interferometric and polarimetric capabilities of EOS-04 satellite for geophysical applications