Scientists from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA used their Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) technology to collect repeat measurements of the Napa Valley area to accurately map ground deformations from the August 24, 2014 earthquake. The special autopilot developed by NASA allows the C-20A aircraft to fly within 30 feet of its previous flight line surveys to collect high-resolution radar data. The data can be processed using interferrometric techniques to generate INSAR images that will tell geologists, engineers, seismologists, and planners how much movement occurred, including in soft sediment areas near the North Bay Aqueduct. [Source: NASA. Image: NASA Armstrong]
