Assessing Land Subsidence Triggered by the 28 January 2023 Khoy Earthquake in Salmas Plain Using InSAR

Gholami, Sana; Behyari, Mahdi; Abedini, Ali

doi:10.22111/jneh.2025.53484.2141

Assessing Land Subsidence Triggered by the 28 January 2023 Khoy Earthquake in Salmas Plain Using InSAR

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

¹ MSc. Student of Geology, Geology Department, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

² Associate Professor, Department of Geology, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

³ Professor, Department of Geology, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

10.22111/jneh.2025.53484.2141

Abstract

Land subsidence is a geomorphological and environmental phenomenon with significant economic and social consequences, driven by both natural and anthropogenic factors such as excessive groundwater extraction and seismic activity. The Salmas Plain in northwestern Iran, characterized by severe groundwater-level decline and its location within a seismically active zone, is considered a critical area affected by land subsidence. In this study, Sentinel-1 satellite data and Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) techniques were employed to investigate ground surface deformation over the period 2021–2024. Geological, hydrological, and soil datasets were integrated with a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), slope and aspect maps, land-use information, and seismic records to identify and analyze the main controlling factors of subsidence. The results indicate that subsidence rates generally reach their maximum during periods of intensive groundwater extraction and decrease during the cold season, highlighting the dominant role of human activities in surface deformation. However, the Khoy earthquake of 28 January 2023 (8 Bahman 1401), despite occurring in the cold season, resulted in a nearly threefold increase in subsidence rates, demonstrating the direct impact of seismic loading on both surficial and subsurface sediments. Low-slope areas underlain by fine-grained and highly compressible deposits were identified as the most vulnerable zones, while slope orientation and active faults significantly influenced the spatial distribution of subsidence. These findings emphasize that in seismically active regions, land subsidence rates may increase abruptly following seismic events, posing serious risks to infrastructure, and therefore, continuous groundwater monitoring, controlled extraction, and the integration of InSAR observations with hydrogeological modeling are essential for identifying vulnerable areas and mitigating subsidence-related hazards.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Environmental Hazards

References

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