Contemporary crustal velocity field in Alpine Mediterranean area of Italy from new geodetic data

Abstract

A new crustal velocity field for the Alpine Mediterranean area was determined by using a time series spanning 6.5 years of 113 global navigation satellite system (GNSS) permanent stations. This area is characterized by a complex tectonic setting driven by the interaction of Eurasian and African plates. The processing was performed by using a state-of-the-art absolute antenna phase center correction model and by using recomputed precise International GNSS Service orbits, available since April 2014. Thus, a new and more accurate tropospheric mapping function for geodetic applications was adopted. Results provide a new detailed map of the kinematics throughout the entire study area. In some area of the Italian peninsula, such as in the central Apennines, the velocity vector orientation appears rotated with respect to previous results. These discrepancies suggest that the geodynamic setting of this sector of Mediterranean area should be revised in accordance with these new results.