MT-InSAR Unveils Dynamic Permafrost Disturbances in Hoh Xil (Kekexili) on the Tibetan Plateau Hinterland

Dynamic permafrost disturbances are rapidly reshaping the remote Qinghai Hoh Xil region on the Tibetan Plateau, threatening even its secluded hinterland. Using Multi-temporal Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (MT-InSAR), researchers mapped ground motions across 200,000 km² from 2015 to 2020, revealing widespread permafrost thawing—characterized by subsidence rates exceeding 2 mm/year and periodic deformations over 2 mm. Thawing was most pronounced in flat or gentle-slope areas, with cumulative deformation closely linked to permafrost degradation depth. Thermokarst landforms, including retrogressive thaw slumps and lakes, emerged and evolved as a result, particularly near large lakes where spatial clustering of thermokarst features indicated accelerated thaw. The study also identified significant lag times between seasonal ground motion and land surface temperature, underscoring the complex response of permafrost to climate change. This first-of-its-kind MT-InSAR analysis highlights the vulnerability of even the most isolated regions on the Tibetan Plateau to permafrost degradation.

Lu, P., Han, J., Yi, Y., Hao, T., Zhou, F., Meng, X., Zhang, Y., & Li, R. (2023). MT-InSAR Unveils Dynamic Permafrost Disturbances in Hoh Xil (Kekexili) on the Tibetan Plateau Hinterland. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 61, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1109/tgrs.2023.3253937