Large‐scale tectonic plate motions measured with the DORIS Space Geodesy System

We have analysed approximately 3 years of Doppler tracking measurements of the DORIS system on the SPOT2 and Topex-Poseidon satellites. Absolute velocities of 19 stations of the DORIS network have been computed through a dynamic orbit computation method. These stations are located on 9 major tectonic plates. For 14 stations, relative velocities across 28 plate boundaries involving 8 different plates, agree quite well with the NUVEL-1 geological estimates, with a correlation coefficient of 0.982 and a slope of 1.00±0.02. This study provides the first space geodesy-derived motion of the African plate which is based on data taken at 4 stations. Computed rotation vectors for the relative motions between the Eurasian, Pacific and African plates show a good agreement with NUVEL-1 vectors. For the remaining sites which are typically located close to plate boundaries, measured motions depart significantly from the ones predicted by NUVEL-1. The site of Fairbanks (Alaska) appears to move anomalously compared to earlier VLBI results.

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