Error Analysis and Accuracy Assessment of GPS Absolute Velocity Determination without SA

Error sources which decrease the accuracy of GPS in absolute velocity determination have been changed since SA was turned off. Firstly, quantities of all kinds of error sources that influence velocity deter-mination are analyzed. The potential accuracy of GPS absolute velocity determination is derived from both theory and field GPS data simulation. After that, two tests were carried out to evaluate the performance of GPS absolute velocity determination in the case of a static and an airborne GPS receiver and INS (Inertial Navigation System) instrument in kinematic mode. In static mode, the receiver velocity has been estimated to be several mm/s with the carrier-phase derived Doppler measurements, and several cm/s with the receiver generated Doppler measurements. In kinematic mode, GPS absolute velocity estimates are compared with the synchronized measurements from the high accuracy INS. The root mean square statistics of the velocity discrepancies between GPS and INS come up to dm/s. Moreover, it has a strong correlation with the accel-eration or jerk of the aircraft.

Interseismic slip distribution and locking characteristics of the mid-southern segment of the Tanlu fault zone

We employ the block negative dislocation model to invert the distribution of fault coupling and slip rate deficit on the different segments of the Tanlu(Tancheng-Lujiang) fault zone, according to the GPS horizontal velocity field from 1991 to 2007(the first phase) and 2013 to 2018(the second phase). By comparing the deformation characteristics results, we discuss the relationship between the deformation characteristics with the M earthquake in Japan. The results showed that the fault coupling rate of the northern section of Tancheng in the second phase reduced compared with that in the first phase. However, the results of the two phases showed that the northern section of Juxian still has a high coupling rate, a deep blocking depth, and a dextral compressive deficit, which is the enrapture section of the 1668 Tancheng earthquake. At the same time, the area strain results show that the strain rate of the central and eastern regions of the second phase is obviously enhanced compared with that of the first phase. The occurrence of the great earthquake in Japan has played a specific role in alleviating the strain accumulation in the middle and south sections of the Tanlu fault zone. The results of the maximum shear strain show that the shear strain in the middle section of the Tanlu fault zone in the second phase is weaker than that in the first phase, and the maximum shear strain in the southern section is stronger than that in the first phase. The fault coupling coefficient of the south Sihong to Jiashan section is high, and it is also the unruptured section of historical earthquakes. At the same time, small earthquakes in this area are not active and accumulate stress easily, so the future earthquake risk deserves attention.

Geodetic slip rate and locking depth of east Semangko Fault derived from GPS measurement

65 km Semangko Fault is part of southern segments of Sumatran Fault Zone(SFZ)which is complex corresponds to the transition from the strike-slip regime of the SFZ to the normal faulting tectonics of the Sunda Strait.The recent publication showed branches of Semangko Fault:West Semangko Fault(WSF)and East Semangko Fault(ESF).This study estimated geodetic slip rate and locking depth of ESF using Global Positioning System(GPS)time series data from 2007 to 2019 from all available GPS sites.GPS velocities refer to Sundaland Plate were used to estimate the fault parameters of the WSF and ESF simultaneously.Non-uniformity of velocity direction shows the complexities of Semangko Fault possibly caused by the contribution of all faults around ESF.An ESF geodetic slip rate,which is 12.5±2 mm/yr was lower than WSF,which is 16.5±2 mm/yr.It is consistent with the rigid block nature of the SFZ system as northern segment slip rates have similar value.Small slip rates are possibly leading to lower generated seismic moment than the major segment of SFZ.

Preseismic deformation associated with the 2014 Ms7.3 Yutian earthquake derived from GPS data

Based on analysis of the GPS data during 1999-2007,2009-2011,and 2011-2013 mainly from the Crustal Motion Observation Network of China,we obtained the GPS horizontal velocity field,the GPS strain rate field,and the profiles across the southwestern segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault zone and its adjacent regions and identified the different characteristics of horizontal crustal deformation fields and profiles during different periods. The results show that,before the February 12,2014,Ms7. 3 Yutian earthquake,the laevorotation deformation along the southwestern segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault zone increased about 3. 3 mm /a during 2011-2013,relative to that in 2009-2011,and the GPS strain rate field distributed in the southeastern segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault during 2011-2013 increased obviously. These abnormal changes may be regarded as precursors to the Ms7. 3 Yutian earthquake.

Combining GPS carrier phase and Doppler observations for precise velocity determination

The truncation error and propagation error are analyzed for velocity determination through differential GPS carrier phase observations,and an approach for the choice of the best number of points for the central difference method is developed.In order to overcome the disadvantages of existing GPS velocity determination methods,a new velocity determination algorithm is presented,based on combining carrier phase and Doppler observations.The basic idea is that two types of observation are combined by adding their normal equations,and their weights are evaluated by strict Helmet variance-components estimation.In order to control the influence of outliers,a bifactor equivalent weights strategy is adopted.To validate this method,GPS data of the airborne gravimetry campaign MEXAGE2001 is tested.The results show that the precision and reliability of velocity determination are obviously improved by using the proposed method.

Effect of Kunlun Ms 8.1 earthquake on crustal deformation in northeastern edge region of Qinghal-Tibet plateau

Seismic fault parameters can be inversed with Okada model based on deformation data before and after earthquakes in focal region and its adjacent area. Co-seismic displacements can be simulated by using these parameters,and then regional velocity field obtained by deducting the co-seismic displacements from the observed displacements by GPS method. We processed and analyzed the data in the northeastern edge region of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau observed during 2001 -2003 in two steps： firstly, the displacements generated by Kunlun MsS. 1 earthquake of 2001 in this region was simulated, and secondly, deducted the co-seismic displacements from it and obtained the horizontal crustal velocity field. The results reveal ： 1 ） the effect of Kunlun Ms8.1 earthquake on crustal deformation in this region is significant; 2 ）the velocity field obtained with this method is better than the original GPS velocity field in reflecting the status of regional crustal movement and strain.

The migration of the crustal deformation peak area in the eastern Himalayan Syntaxis inferred from present-day crustal deformation and morpho-tectonic markers

The present-day Global Positioning System(GPS)velocity field shows that the Indian Plate is not a complete rigid block,as its northeastern corner has been torn off and clockwise rotating relative to the main part.With the updated GPS velocity data,the Euler vector of the northeastern corner of the Indian Plate relative to the stable main plate is deduced as(89.566±0.06°E,26.131±0.05°N,1.34±0.11°/Myr).The peak area of the present-day crustal deformation is located in the Chayu deformation belt with the compressional dilation strain rate over 160 nanostrain/yr.However,the Namche-Barwa Syntaxis with the massive crustal thickening and intense surface erosion is generally considered to be the previous locus of the strongest compressional stress in the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis over long geological timescales.Thus,there is a discrepancy between the previous and present-day crustal deformation peak areas.We argue the migration of the crustal deformation peak area with a total distance of about 120 km and ascribe it to the variation of stress conditions caused by northeast India’s clockwise rotation.

Partitioning Anatolian Kinematics into Tectonic Escape and Slab Rollback Dominated Domains

Anatolia is the global archetype of tectonic escape,as witnessed by the devastating 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake sequence,and the 2020 Samos Earthquake,which show different kinematics related to the framework of the escape tectonics.Global Positioning System(GPS)motions of the wedge-shaped plate differ regionally from northwestwards to southwestwards(from east to west).Anatolia was extruded westward from the Arabian-Eurasian collision along the North and East Anatolian fault systems,rotating counterclockwise into the oceanic free-faces of the Mediterranean and Aegean,with dramatic extension of western Anatolia in traditional interpretations.However,which is the dominant mechanism for this change in kinematics,extrusion related to the Arabia/Eurasia collision or rollback of the African slab beneath western Anatolia is still unclear.To assess the dominant driving mechanisms across Anatolia,we analyze recent GPS velocity datasets,and decomposed them into N-S and E-W components,revealing that westward motion is essentially constant across the whole plate and consistent with the slip rates of the North and East Anatolia fault zones,while southward components increase dramatically in the transition area between central and western Anatolia,where a slab tear is suggested.This phenomenon is related to different tectonic driving mechanisms.The ArabiaEurasia collision drives the Anatolian Plate uniformly westwards while western Anatolia is progressively more affected by the southward retreating African subducting slab west of the Aegean/Cypriot slab tear,which significantly increases the southward component of the velocity field and causes the apparent curve of the whole modern velocity field.The 2020 and 2023 earthquake focal mechanisms also confirm that the northward colliding Arabian Plate forced Anatolia to the west,and the retreating African slab is pulling the upper plate of western Anatolian apart in extension.We propose that the Anatolian Plate is moving westwards as one plate with an additional component of extension in its west caused by the local driving mechanism,slab rollback(with the boundary above the slab tear around Isparta),rather than separate microplates or a near-pole spin of the entire Anatolian Plate,and the collisionrelated extrusion is the dominant mechanism of tectonic escape.

Rapid earthquake focal mechanism inversion using high-rate GPS velometers in sparse network

In this study, we demonstrate an approach for inverting earthquake source parameters based on high-rate global positioning system （GPS） velocity seismograms. The velocity records obtained from single-station GPS velocity solutions with broadcast ephemeris are used directly for earthquake source parameter inversion using the Cut and Paste method, without requiring conversion of the velocity records into displacement records. Taking the E1 Mayor-Cucapah earthquake as an example, GPS velocity records from 10 stations with reasonable azimuthal coverage provide earthquake source parameters very close to those from the Global centroid moment tensor （Global CMT） solution. In sparse network tests, robust source parameters with acceptable bias can be achieved with as few as three stations. When the number of stations is reduced to two, the bias in rake angle becomes appreciable, but the magnitude and strike estimations are still robust. The results of this study demonstrate that rapid and reliable estimation of earthquake source parameters can be obtained from GPS velocity data. These parameters could be used for early earthquake warning and shake map construction, because such GPS velocity records can be obtained in real time.