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Horizontal crustal motion in the central and eastern Mediterranean inferred from satellite laser ranging measurements
Author(s) -
Smith David E.,
Kolenkiewicz Ron,
Robbins John W.,
Dunn Peter J.,
Torrence Mark H.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/94gl01612
Subject(s) - geology , satellite laser ranging , geodesy , seismology , reference frame , satellite , ranging , mediterranean climate , laser ranging , geography , laser , telecommunications , physics , engineering , archaeology , frame (networking) , aerospace engineering , computer science , optics
Four campaigns to acquire Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) measurements at sites in the Mediterranean region have been completed. These measurements to the LAGEOS satellite, made largely by mobile systems, cover a time span beginning in November 1985 and ending in June 1993. The range data from 18 sites in the central and eastern Mediterranean have been simultaneously analyzed with data acquired by the remainder of the global laser tracking network. Estimates of horizontal motion were placed into a regional, northern Europe‐fixed, kinematic reference frame. Uncertainties are on the order of 5 mm/yr for sites having at least four occupations by mobile systems and approach 1 mm/yr for permanently located sites with long histories of tracking. The resulting relative motion between sites in the Aegean exhibit characteristics of broadly distributed pattern of radial extension, but at rates that are about 50% larger than those implied from studies of seismic strain rates based on seismicity of magnitude 6 or greater across the region. The motion estimated for sites in Turkey exhibit velocity components associated with the westward motion of the Anatolian Block relative to Eurasia. These results provide a present‐day “snapshot” of ongoing deformational processes as experienced by the locations occupied by SLR systems.