About Us

Services

Satellite SAR Displacement Monitoring

Due to rapid changes in the global environment, observing the Earth’s surface using satellite-borne sensors—acting as eyes from space—to promptly capture surface changes has become a mainstream primary response method. In recent years, by utilizing satellite Earth observation data, it has become possible to estimate surface displacement with millimeter-level accuracy. This method allows for the tracking of displacement over time in infrastructure facilities such as roads and buildings caused by crustal movements or thermal expansion, thereby facilitating safety verification.

SAR Data Analysis Support

Satellite-borne SAR is capable of observing vast areas covering entire municipalities and estimating ground surface displacement within those zones. Since satellite SAR observation data is unaffected by cloud cover and distributed at a low cost, it significantly lowers barriers related to budgeting and observation coverage. Traditionally, facility monitoring has relied on installing GPS equipment or using conventional surveying methods for displacement monitoring. However, these approaches incur massive costs for equipment installation and periodic field data measurement, thereby limiting the observation area. Displacement monitoring via satellite SAR resolves these cost constraints, as some observation data is distributed free of charge.

Research & Development / Technology Development

At Terra Phase, we strive to create new value through the research and development of cutting-edge satellite remote sensing technologies. By integrating SAR analysis and simulation technologies, we deliver practical, high-precision Earth observation solutions.

Terra Phase’s Proprietary Technology

NN-PSI

Satellite-borne SAR sensors emit microwaves and record the reflection intensity and timing (phase) from the ground surface. When observing the same area over time, interfering pairs of SAR observation data can reveal phase shifts caused by ground displacement. The method of using a large number of these interference pairs to enhance displacement accuracy is known as Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI), which enables the measurement of ground surface displacement within a millimeter margin of error.
However, while this conventional method is suited for measuring minute displacements that change linearly over time, it fails to determine displacement accurately if the movement exceeds the phase observation range (one-quarter wavelength of the microwave). Furthermore, PSI often fails to accurately estimate displacements that vary periodically with seasonal temperatures or sudden, large-scale short-term displacements caused by construction work.
To address these limitations of PSI, we developed Non-Linear Non-Parametric PSI (NN-PSI). This technology enables the measurement of displacements that were previously considered difficult to capture using standard satellite SAR.

The left diagram illustrates the location where displacement is being estimated. In the right diagram, the red line represents the displacement estimated by NN-PSI, while the blue line represents the displacement estimated by conventional PSI.
As demonstrated in the diagram, NN-PSI can be applied to measure displacement in highly undulating urban areas with buildings, as well as non-linear displacements such as the thermal expansion of large structures and areas surrounding urban construction sites.
Additionally, Terra Phase is actively engaged in SAR simulation and SAR super-resolution technologies.

Applications

• Proprietary Technology (NN-PSI)
• Infrastructure Maintenance and Management
• Bridge Monitoring
• Land Subsidence Monitoring
• Slope Disaster Monitoring
• Disaster Situation Assessment
• Environmental Monitoring

Profile

Company Name

TERRA PHASE INC.

Representative Director

Satomi Ogushi

Capital

1,000,000 JPY

Business Activities

Consulting and services related to ground surface displacement monitoring utilizing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

Technical Advisor

Professor Masashi Matsuoka, Institute of Science Tokyo

Contact

Please contact us by email.
contact[at]terraphase.co.jp (Please replace “[at]” with “@”)