The Resolving Power of the Current State of GPS Information in North America: Implications
for PBO Planning
HR: 16:00h
AN: G32C-01 INVITED [PDF]
TI: The Resolving Power of the Current State of GPS Information in North America: Implications for PBO
Planning
AU: * Holt, W E
EM: wholt@mantle.geo.sunysb.edu
AF: Department of Geosciences, SUNY Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100 United States
AU: Kreemer, C
EM: kreemer@geologie.ens.fr
AF: CollŠge de France, Europ“le de l'Arbois, Aix en Provence, 13545
France
AU: Flesch, L M
EM: flesch@dtm.ciw.edu
AF: Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institute of Washington, Washington, DC 20015 United States
AU: Haines, A J
EM: haines@esc.cam.ac.uk
AF: Bullard Laboratories, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB# OEZ
United Kingdom
AU: Bennett, R A
EM: rbennett@cfa.harvard.edu
AF: Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138-1516 United States
AB:
We combine both permanent and campaign GPS data from mostly published work to infer a kinematic solution within western North
America plate boundary zone. We interpolate 1603 GPS velocity vectors to infer the horizontal velocity gradient tensor
field, which is important for both seismic hazards analysis and for constraints on the dynamics. The interpolation algorithm
uses continuous bi-cubic splines on the surface of a sphere. The GPS vectors are matched by the model velocity field, in a
specified reference frame, in a weighted least-squares inversion. The reference frames of each geodetic study are determined
in the inversion procedure. That is, we seek angular velocities, one for each study, that rotate the vectors into one
self-consistent frame of reference. The algorithm involves no a priori bias as to the location of fault zones or blocks. The
a posteriori variance-covariance matrix of the model strain rates and rotation rates can be evaluated to determine where
block behavior is statistically significant, where deformation rates are significant, as well as the significance of the
style of inferred strain rates. These model results can be compared with active fault slip observations. The quantitative
assessment of the strain rates and rotation rates can be compared with predictions from competing kinematic and dynamic
models. Discrimination between such competing models takes into account the a posteriori uncertainties in the kinematic
parameters. In cases where discrimination between competing models is not possible, due to large errors in the kinematic
solution, then it is possible to investigate where an increased GPS coverage or accuracy is potentially critical in resolving
differences between competing models.
DE: 1206 Crustal movements--interplate (8155)
DE: 8107 Continental neotectonics
DE: 8109 Continental tectonics--extensional (0905)
DE: 8110 Continental tectonics--general (0905)
DE: 8120 Dynamics of lithosphere and mantle--general
SC: Geodesy [G]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting