Analysis of statistical interpolation methods to generate the velocities model for continental Ecuador from GNSS data

Abstract

We performed a comparison between the interpolation methods of Kriging and Least Squares Collocation. This allowed to obtain an optimal velocity model of the earth’s crust for continental Ecuador from a velocity field ITRF2008 obtained with GNSS data in the period 2008-2014. The best fitting semivariograms for the two components were the Spherical and Stable semivariogram. The functional model for Least Squares Collocation method was of third order for the East component and of second order for the North component. The results obtained were compared with the velocity of the GNSS stations used for verification and using the cross-validation technique. All the statistics favor the least squares Collocation method since it presents a better fit and reliability to represent the velocity model of continental Ecuador.