Global plate velocities from the Global Positioning System

Abstract

We have analyzed 204 days of Global Positioning System (GPS) data from the global GPS network spanning January 1991 through March 1996. On the basis of these GPS coordinate solutions, we have estimated velocities for 38 sites, mostly located on the interiors of the Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Eurasia, Nazca, North America, Pacific, and South America plates. The uncertainties of the horizontal velocity components range from 1.2 to 5.0 mm/yr. With the exception of sites on the Pacific and Nazca plates, the GPS velocities agree with absolute plate model predictions within 95% confidence. For most of the sites in North America, Antarctica, and Eurasia, the agreement is better than 2 mm/yr. We find no persuasive evidence for significant vertical motions (<3 standard deviations), except at four sites. Three of these four were sites constrained to geodetic reference frame velocities. The GPS velocities were then used to estimate angular velocities for eight tectonic plates. Absolute angular velocities derived from the GPS data agree with the no net rotation (NNR) NUVEL‐1A model within 95% confidence except for the Pacific plate. Our pole of rotation for the Pacific plate lies 11.5° west of the NNR NUVEL‐1A pole, with an angular speed 10% faster. Our relative angular velocities agree with NUVEL‐1A except for some involving the Pacific plate. While our Pacific‐North America angular velocity differs significantly from NUVEL‐1A, our model and NUVEL‐1A predict very small differences in relative motion along the Pacific‐North America plate boundary itself. Our Pacific‐Australia and Pacific‐Eurasia angular velocities are significantly faster than NUVEL‐1A, predicting more rapid convergence at these two plate boundaries. Along the East Pacific Rise, our Pacific‐Nazca angular velocity agrees in both rate and azimuth with NUVEL‐1A.