Abstract: Differential SAR Interferometry (DINSAR) could measure look-of-sight displacement precisely, thus become a novel and remote means for measuring earth-surface displacement from space. The M_S8.1 Kokoxili earthquake, occurred on Nov. 14, 2001, is of huge influence in the world, whose rupture zone extended for more than 400 km, at the western end of the left-lateral Kunlun fault. The epicenter region is selected as study area. Multi-temporal European ERS-2 SAR imagery and shuttle-based SRTM DEM covering the epicenter region are used for DINSAR research. The surficial displacements are estimated with two-pass DINSAR methods and compared for validation. The result shows that two-pass DINSAR with external DEM might obtain better result over fluctuating mountains. It is also found that the rupture zone south of Sun lake is left-lateral.

Key words: Two-pass DINSAR, Different SAR Interferometry, Seismic displacement, Kokoxili earthquake