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Free keywords:
Global plate tectonics; SLR; Paper
DDC:
550 - Earth sciences
Abstract:
The plate tectonic concept has nearly revolutionized the geo-sciences in the last decades. Many geodynamical, geophysical and geological phenomena could be understood for the first time. The investigation of the present-day global crustal kinematics is a crucial contribution which can be delivered by space geodesy only. Since the beginning of the MERIT-Campaign continuous good quality laser ranging data to LAGEOS are available. Using these data a precise estimation of present-day global-scale tectonic motion is possible. During the WEGENER/MEDLAS project the worldwide tracking network has been densified by a number of fixed and mobile stations in the southern Europe and eastern Mediterranean. Having now for a number of sites three to four occupations within four years significant site motions can be extracted. The derived motions are essential input information for deformation analyses and the interpretation of plate tectonic parameters.
