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Satellite Geodesy Lab
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A lab that uses satellite radar images to study ground surface deformation and atmospheric conditions.
AboutAbout the lab
Measuring tiny movements of the ground through the eyes of satellites.
The Satellite Geodesy Lab uses data obtained through remote sensing, including by satellites, to elucidate natural phenomena such as earthquakes and weather, and to solve problems related to urban infrastructure.
The core of its research is the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which images the ground surface with microwaves, and InSAR (interferometric SAR), a technique that can detect ground surface deformation with centimeter-order accuracy.
The lab is not tied to SAR: it uses whichever observation method suits the subject of interest, aiming to deepen understanding of phenomena and contribute to a better society.
For fourth-year student placement, the lab basically accepts students from the Urban Planning major of the College of Policy and Planning Sciences. Students from other majors, as well as graduate students from other programs and from outside the university, are also welcome to consult.
Key terms
- Synthetic aperture radar
- An imaging technique that uses microwaves to image the ground surface. Abbreviated as SAR (synthetic aperture radar)
- InSAR
- A technique that extracts elevation and ground surface movement from the difference between SAR data acquired at two different times. It can detect changes with centimeter-order accuracy
- GNSS
- Satellite positioning systems, including GPS. Used to observe ground surface displacement and to obtain atmospheric delay information
- Atmospheric propagation delay
- The effect by which the phase of radio waves changes as they pass through the Earth's atmosphere. In InSAR, it is a source of error when observing ground surface displacement (atmospheric propagation delay)
NewsLab news
InSAR analysis images of crustal deformation from the Venezuela earthquake released
A doctoral student received the Student Presentation Award for an outstanding talk at the 142nd Meeting of the Geodetic Society of Japan
ResearchResearch themes
The lab uses observation data obtained by satellites and other means to elucidate natural phenomena such as earthquakes and weather, and to solve problems related to urban infrastructure. In addition to developing methods to correct atmospheric propagation delay, a source of error in InSAR, it also studies crustal deformation, localized heavy rain, and landslide disasters.
*Illustrative imageCorrecting Atmospheric Delay Errors in InSAR
When InSAR is used to measure ground movement, atmospheric propagation delay causes errors. The lab aims to establish methods to correct this, using numerical weather models, atmospheric delay information from GNSS, and other data.
*Illustrative imageDetecting Interseismic Displacement of the Median Tectonic Line
Using ALOS-2 SAR data, the lab studies interseismic displacement of the Median Tectonic Line fault zone. The displacement is small, only a few millimeters per year, so various corrections such as for atmospheric delay were applied, achieving accuracy comparable to GNSS observations.
*Illustrative imageCapturing Water Vapor Distribution During Heavy Rain
This case analyzed with InSAR the emergency observation data acquired by the satellite ALOS (Daichi) during the Seino heavy rain event of September 2008, capturing the state of water vapor during the downpour. Numerical simulation also reproduced the localized signals.
*Illustrative imageDetecting Small Displacements from Slow Earthquakes
This research uses InSAR to detect small ground surface displacements of a few centimeters or less accompanying slow earthquakes. It combines atmospheric delay correction using numerical weather models with time-series analysis of many SAR datasets.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Satellite Geodesy Lab are faculty, doctoral students, and master's students.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorYohei Kinoshita
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “ICEYE SAR satellite Netherlands” Defensie Nederland / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Correcting Atmospheric Delay Errors in InSAR: “Interferogram Iran” Roberto Monti / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Detecting Interseismic Displacement of the Median Tectonic Line: “Median Tectonic Line-Kitagawa outcrop-02” KAMUI / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Capturing Water Vapor Distribution During Heavy Rain: “3D model of a linear precipitation band (senjo kousuitai)” Baba 496 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Detecting Small Displacements from Slow Earthquakes: “TDX-Formation” DLR / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (宇宙測地・
空間情報研究室): “Laquila differential interferogram by TerraSAR-X” DLR / CC BY 3.0 (cropped) - Related lab (都市政策科学研究室): “A view of a sub urban area of Guatemala City in Guatemala” Jose Hernandez / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (都市情報研究室): “2019 City of London 3D model” AccuCities / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (シームラボ): “Grounds & facilities - data analysis office, UNIVAC 1106” U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
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