In this work, the ability of advanced satellite interferometry to monitor pre-failure landslide behaviours and the potential application of this technique to Failure Forecasting Methods (FFMs) are analysed. Several limits affect the ability of the technique to monitor a landslide process, especially during the pre-failure phase (tertiary creep). In this study, two of the major limitations affecting the technique have been explored: (1) the low data sampling frequency and (2) the phase ambiguity constraints. We explored the time series of displacements for 56 monitored landslides inferred from the scientific literature and from different in situ and remote monitoring instruments (i.e., extensometers, inclinometers, distometers, Ground Base InSAR, and total station). Furthermore, four different forecasting techniques have been applied to the monitoring data of the selected landslides. To analyse the reliability of the FFMs based on the InSAR satellite data, the 56 time series have been sampled based on different satellite features, simulating the satellite revisit time and the phase ambiguity constraints. Our analysis shows that the satellite InSAR technique could be successful in monitoring the landslide’s tertiary creep phase and, in some cases, for forecasting the corresponding time of failure using FFMs. However, the low data sampling frequency of the present satellite systems do not capture the necessary detail for the application of FFMs in actual risk management problems or for early warning purposes.

Pump-and-treat (P&T) is commonly used to remediate contaminated groundwater sites. The scientific community is currently engaged in a debate regarding the long-term effectiveness and sustainability of P&T for groundwater remediation. This work aims to provide a quantitative comparative analysis of the performance of an alternative system to traditional P&T, to support the development of sustainable groundwater remediation plans. Two industrial sites with unique geological frameworks and contamination with dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) and arsenic (As) respectively, were selected for the study. At both locations, attempts were made for decades to clean up groundwater contamination by pump-and-treat. In response to persistently high levels of pollutants, groundwater circulation wells (GCWs) were installed to explore the possibility of accelerating the remediation process in unconsolidated and rock deposits. This comparative evaluation focuses on the different mobilization patterns observed, resulting variations in contaminant concentration, mass discharge, and volume of extracted groundwater. To facilitate the fusion of multi-source data, including geological, hydrological, hydraulic, and chemical information, and enable the continuous extraction of time-sensitive information, a geodatabase-supported conceptual site model (CSM) is utilized as a dynamic and interactive interface. This approach is used to assess the performance of GCW and P&T at the investigated sites. At Site 1, the GCW stimulated microbiological reductive dichlorination and mobilized significantly higher 1,2-DCE concentrations than P&T, despite recirculating a smaller volume of groundwater. At Site 2, As removal rate by GCW resulted generally higher than pumping wells. One conventional well mobilized higher masses of As in the early stages of P&T. This reflected the P&T's impact on accessible contaminant pools in early operational periods. P&T withdrew a significantly larger volume of groundwater than the GCW. The outcomes unveil the diverse contaminant removal behavior characterizing two distinct remediation strategies in different geological environments, revealing the dynamics and decontamination mechanisms that feature GCWs and P&T and emphasizing the limitations of traditional groundwater extraction systems in targeting aged pollution sources. GCWs have been shown to reduce remediation time, increase mass removal, and minimize the significant water consumption associated with P&T. These benefits pave the way for more sustainable groundwater remediation approaches in various hydrogeochemical scenarios.