Read about
the problem
The Science Behind the Signal
Satellite ground monitoring stands on three decades of peer-reviewed research. These are the foundational papers, books, and open datasets behind the hazards we track - the same body of work our own analysis is built on.
Caelus scientific
article: Sinkhole
detection
An Integrated Study of Highway Pavement Subsidence Using Ground-Based Geophysical and Satellite Methods
What really happened at the Millennium Tower?
A 13-minute engineering breakdown of San Francisco's famously leaning skyscraper -the clearest primer on differential settlement ever made.
America's cities
are sinking
Satellite radar mapping of the 28 largest US cities found land subsiding in every one - 34 million residents and 29,000+ buildings in elevated damage-risk zones.
Sinking land
doubles effective
sea-level rise
Along the world's most densely populated coasts, vertical land motion more than doubles the sea-level rise communities actually experience.
Scientific article:
Ground water
level changes
Effects of Spatiotemporal Constraints on Groundwater Depth
Deltas are sinking
faster than seas
are rising
The first high-resolution survey of 40 major river deltas: in 18 of them, subsidence already outpaces sea-level rise - 236 million people face heightened flood exposure.
Derna: the warning
was in the data
The dams that failed in 2023, killing over 11,000 people, had been settling measurably for seven years
Subsidence and Heaving
Refers to the vertical movement of the ground or structures. While it may progress gradually or occur suddenly, its long-term structural impact is profound and costly.
Key causes include:
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Excessive groundwater extraction
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Mining activities
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Soil compaction
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Drought and heatwaves
These factors weaken the structure ability to stand the sfiting ground. Over time, buildings begin to tilt, crack, or ultimately collapse often without prior visible signs.
Impact
-
United States:
-
34 million people live in subsiding areas
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Over 29,000 buildings are already situated in high-risk zones
-
-
France: Subsidence accounted for 60% of all nature losses over the past decade, totaling $2.5 billion in 2025 alone
Landslides & Rockfalls
Landslides and rockfalls occur when the gravitational forces acting on a slope exceed its structural stability. This can result from long-term degradation or sudden environmental stress.
Common contributing factors include:
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Prolonged Water Exposure
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Soil and Rock Weakening
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Coastal Erosion
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Creeping Slopes
Some slopes move imperceptibly over time due to gravity and environmental stressors. This slow movement can lead to sudden failure when the slope becomes pass the failure criteria
Impact
-
Landslides are responsible for over $20 billion in losses each year.
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These events frequently affect critical infrastructure: roads, railways, pipelines, and residential assets.
Sinkholes
Occur when the ground underneath a structure loses its support causing sudden, often catastrophic failure. These collapses may happen without surface warning and are among the most unpredictable ground movement risks insurers face.
Primary triggers include:
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Natural Groundwater Changes - dissolves bedrock
Aging or Damaged Infrastructure - Leaking Pipelines
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Construction and Excavation Activity
Despite their sudden appearance, sinkholes often develop over time - and can be detected before failure occurs.
Impact
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Florida: each year 2,000 assets faced sinkhole damge
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Average cost for reconstraction of private houses: $139,000
