Scholarly record
MT-INSAR ANALYSIS OF DEFORMATION IN THE AREA OF THE VISHEGRAD FORTRESS (EASTERN RHODOPES, BULGARIA)
Abstract
This study assesses surface deformation in the Vyshegrad Fortress area using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. The site, located near the Studen Kladenets dam, is affected by complex geomorphological and environmental conditions that may compromise structural stability. Steep slopes prone to erosion and landslides, increased moisture, rock fracturing, and regional seismic activity pose significant risks to the integrity of the stone architectural complex. Their evaluation is essential for effective preservation and site management. A multitemporal MT-InSAR analysis was performed using open-access data from the Copernicus programme, specifically the European Ground Motion Service (EGMS). The standardized EGMS products ensure consistency, reproducibility, and suitability for long-term monitoring. Favorable site conditions, including sparse vegetation and good exposure, support high coherence and the identification of stable scatterers, enabling reliable displacement time series extraction. Line-of-sight (LOS) displacements were analysed, and vertical and horizontal motion components were derived by integrating ascending and descending orbit data. The results reveal no statistically significant deformation during the study period, indicating a stable geodynamic regime. The study confirms the applicability of EGMS InSAR products for preliminary georisk assessment and cost-effective, non-invasive monitoring of cultural heritage sites, supporting informed conservation planning and future integration with geodetic and geological data.
Publication details
References14
Krastanov M., R. Nankin, P. Ivanov, A. Aladzhov, V. Grigorov, N.Dobrev, B. Berov, A. Frantzova. 2025. Geological hazard assessment of Vishegrad Fortress, Eastern Rhodopes. - Rev. Bulg. Geol. Soc., 86, 3, 192-202, DOI: 10.52215/rev.bgs.2025.86.3.192.
Krastanov, M., R. Nankin, A. Aladzhov, N. Dobrev, P. Ivanov, B. Berov, N. Nikolova, V. Grigorov, A. Frantzova, B. Mihaylova. 2025. Geological risk assessment on rock cultural monuments on the territory of the Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria: National Science Fund project. - Eng. Geol. Hydrogeol., 39, 27-43 (in Bulgarian); DOI: 10.52321/igh.39.1.27.
https://drumivdumi.com/крепоÑÑ‚-вишеград/
Nikolova, V., R. Rizova, V. Gospodinova, A. Kamburov. 2023. Geomorphological and Sedimentological Indicators of Contemporary Erosion Processes: An Example of the Eastern Rhodopes Mountains (Bulgaria). - WSEAS Transact. Environ. Develop., 19, 72, 762-773; DOI: 10.37394/232015.2023.19.72.
Krastanov, M., R. Nankin, A. Aladzhov, N. Dobrev, P. Ivanov, B. Berov, N. Nikolova, V. Grigorov, A. Frantzova. 2024. Geotechnical assessment of the rock massif in the area of the medieval cultural monument Asen's Fortress, Bulgaria. Geologica Balcanica, 53, 2, 55-68, DOI: 10.52321/GeolBalc.53.2.55.
Krastanov, M. 2022. Methods used for monitoring geodynamic processes on the territory of Bulgaria. Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 36, 25-34, DOI: 10.52321/igh.36.1.25.
Berov, B., G. Gadzhev, P. Ivanov, N. Dobrev, V. Ivanov, N. Nikolova, A. Toteva, M. Krastanov, R. Nankin, A. Frantzova. 2025. Assessment of landslide susceptibility in Bulgaria, in the context of climate change, using the Mora and Vahrson method. Geologica Balcanica, 54, 1, 3-16, DOI: 10.52321/GeolBalc.54.1.3.
kais https://kais.cadastre.bg/
Gospodinova, V., V. Nikolova, A. Kamburov. 2021. Using TLS and UAV data for geomorphic change detection: Case study of Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria. In ternational Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference Surveying Geology and Mining Ecology Management, SGEM, 21(2.1), 381-388, DOI: 10.5593/sgem2021/2.1/s10.77.
Nikolov, H., M. Atanasova. 2023. Registering the ground deformations at the area of the archaeological site "Solnitsata". 5th Joint International Symposium on Deformation Monitoring (JISDM), 20-22 June 2022, Valencia, Spain, 305-310, DOI: 10.4995/JISDM2022.2022.13847.
https://egms.land.copernicus.eu/
Costantini M., Minati F., Trillo F., Ferretti A., Novali F.,, Passera E., (2021) "European Ground Motion Service (EGMS)," 2021 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium IGARSS, Brussels, Belgium, pp. 3293-3296, DOI: 10.1109/IGARSS47720.2021.9553562
Crosetto M., Solari L. (2023) Satellite Interferometry Data Interpretation and Exploitation Case Studies from the European Ground Motion Service (EGMS) Book, ISBN 978-0-443-13397-8, DOI: 10.1016/C2022-0-01853-5, Chapter 3 - InSAR technical aspects
Crosetto M., Crippa B., Mroz´ M., Cuevas-Gonz´ alez M., Shahbazi S. (2025) Applications based on EGMS products: A review, Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment 37, 101452, DOI: 10.1016/j.rsase.2025.101452,