Assessment of Land Subsidence Trend in Isfahan's Historical and Tourism Sites Using Sentinel-1 Imagery (2016–2024) and the amount of subsidence according to historical dynasties

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Shohreh Omidi 1
Hojat Sadeghi 2
Rahman Zandi 3
1 Master student in Remote Sensing and GIS, Faculty of Geographical Sciences and Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
2 Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geographical Sciences and Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
3 Department of Physical Geography , Faculty of Geographical Sciences and Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
10.22034/he.2025.551150.1149
Abstract
Isfahan city, one of Iran’s most important cultural, architectural, historical, and tourism centers, faces a serious threat to the stability of its historical and tourist structures due to land subsidence. This study aims to analyze the trend of land subsidence in Isfahan from 2016 to 2024 and to assess the magnitude of subsidence according to the tourist sites associated with different historical dynasties. The research is applied and employs a descriptive-analytical approach, using remote sensing imagery and spatial data of historical and tourist sites. The dataset includes Sentinel-1 satellite images, downloaded from the Alaska website, with two images selected per year (beginning and end of each year). Subsidence analysis was conducted using SNAP software to accurately identify land changes and subsidence patterns over the 2016–2024 period. The results indicate that subsidence has been fluctuating, with the highest intensities observed in 2018 and 2021 at 14.2 cm and 13.6 cm, respectively, while the lowest values were recorded in 2022 and 2023 at 7.6 cm and 8.5 cm, respectively. Districts 9, 11, and 15 experienced the most pronounced effects, linked to groundwater depletion and urban pressures. The highest subsidence among individual sites occurred at Rahnan Bath (2.75 cm), Monar Jonban (2.50 cm), and the Fire Temple (2.03 cm), while the average subsidence for other sites ranged between 0.5 and 1 cm. Furthermore, the greatest subsidence by historical period was observed in Safavid-era monuments, totaling 25.49 cm with an average of 4.47 cm, whereas Qajar-era sites experienced the least damage, with an average of 3.59 cm. Overall, subsidence in Isfahan is a continuous process that threatens both the city’s infrastructure and its cultural heritage. Targeted management and continuous monitoring through interdisciplinary collaboration are essential to mitigate risks to historical and tourist sites.

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Subjects

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Human Ecology
Volume 4, Issue 13
Winter 2026
Pages 1679-1696