SLAM, the development of an EO service to support the legal obligations of Swiss and Italian Geological Risk Services in landslide risk forecasting and prevention

The necessity to identify and monitor slope movement is of paramount importance to reduce the socio-economic toll that every year is paid in developing as well as in developed countries. From the late 80´s Italian and Swiss legislations regarding hydro-geological risks, have identified landslide hazard maps as essential tools to mitigate the risk associated to landslides. Several projects funded by the European Space Agency within the framework of its Data User Program (DUP), have investigated the feasibility and the operational applicability of spaceborne imagery to respond to the needs of governmental institutions that have a mandate in landslide analysis and prevention. Techniques based on SAR interferometry and on the combination of state of the art Remote Sensing observations with CIS modeling have been analysed in order to assess the contribution of Satellite Remote Sensing information in support to the practices of the Geological Risk Services Agencies.