Abstract. This study on the southern Riyadh area examines the ERS-1/2 and ENVISAT satellites data' ability of detecting Early Quaternary-Holocene trans-tensional Central Arabian graben system morphology. It also, test the hypothesis of potentially geohazardous arid region for the consequent dissolution-induced collapses and karstifications and possible recent faults reactivation. Eight Single Look Complex (SLC) amplitude images are calibrated, filtered, georeferenced, orthorectified, and filtered at a resolution of 20 metres, and compared with one another by producing 17 diachronic images of the pairs at different intervals (1996, 2003–2005, 2008). The diachronic SAR intensity imageries suggest a downthrown displacement reaching 600 m and eastward tilting at the bottoms of the grabens. Also, the structurally-controlled valleys are developing an eastward-running drainage system towards the oasis of Al-Kharj and capturing an older hydrologic system. Moreover, a 12-year period (1996–2008) of the SAR data was obtained to examine the average annual rate of southern Riyadh's anthropological sprawl, which is estimated at approximately 390 metres/year over the 12 years and constrained by geomorphological features towards the deformed area. DInSAR imageries show the primary results obtained from the 26 May 2004 and 31 Jan. 2005 pair of images, merged with 30 m resolution DEM-SRTM data for the arid region south of Riyadh to eliminate the influence of topography. DInSAR is applied in this study for its ability of detecting small displacements at the centimetre scale (1/2 wavelength). Although the DInSAR's coherence and phase imageries suggest a fairly stable region since the last tectonic and subsequent geomorphic events, erosional and artificial changes are observed, bounded within the valleys and depressions, primarily due to aeolian and fluvial processes and agriculture. It is highly recommended to preserve the area for sustainability and economy.

中文翻译：

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阿拉伯中部利雅得南部利用合成孔径雷达（SAR）和差分干涉SAR（DInSAR）形成的干旱景观形态

摘要。这项对利雅得南部地区的研究考察了ERS-1 / 2和ENVISAT卫星数据检测早期第四纪-全新世跨张拉中部阿拉伯掠夺系统形态的能力。它还测试了潜在的地质灾害干旱区的假设，以解释因溶蚀引起的崩塌和岩溶作用以及可能的近期断层复活。以20米的分辨率校准，滤波，地理定位，正射校正和滤波了八幅单视复数（SLC）振幅图像，并通过以不同的间隔生成两对历时图像（1996年，2003年至2005年， 2008）。历时SAR强度影像表明，下倾位移达到600 m，并且grab爪底部向东倾斜。也，受结构控制的山谷正在向Al-Kharj绿洲发展一个向东延伸的排水系统，并捕获了较旧的水文系统。此外，获得了12年（1996-2008年）的SAR数据，以研究利雅得南部人类学无序扩张的年均速度，在这12年中估计约为390米/年，并受到地貌特征的限制。变形区域。DInSAR图像显示了从2004年5月26日和2005年1月31日获得的主要图像结果，并与利雅得南部干旱地区的30 m分辨率DEM-SRTM数据合并，以消除地形的影响。DInSAR因其能够检测厘米级（1/2波长）的小位移而被应用在这项研究中。虽然DInSAR' 相干和相位影像表明，自上次构造和随后的地貌事件以来，观察到了一个相当稳定的区域，主要是由于风沙和河流作用过程以及农业，在山谷和洼地内发现了侵蚀和人工变化。强烈建议保留该地区的可持续性和经济性。