Free ground motion data - now covering Europe

Abstract

In 2022, a pan-European ground motion mapping service, the European Ground Motion Service (EGMS), was launched. The service is based on radar images from the Sentinel-1 satellite, and the data describes the movement of primary infrastructure such as buildings, track bodies, bridges, port facilities, and roads. Knowledge of their horizontal and vertical movements can contribute to a better decision-making process for e.g. dimensioning and location of facilities and infrastructure for climate adaptation, which often cross administrative boundaries. The EGMS is operated by the European Environment Agency (EEA) under the auspices of the EU's Earth observation program, Copernicus. The first calculation is based on Sentinel-1 images from 2015 – 2020, while three annual updates will be published until 2024. The EEA makes data, user guides and technical reports on the EGMS freely available. In addition, e.g. workshops where interested users can be introduced to data and specific applications.