Measurements of the VLBI experiments during the first campaign of the Asian-Pacific space geodynamics (APSG) program

Abstract

During the first campaign of the Asian-Pacific space geodynamics (APSG) program in October 1997, two VLBI experiments were successfully organized and coordinated by the Astrometry and Geodesy VLBI Group of Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, cooperated with geodetic VLBI group, GSFC, NASA, USA. Six VLBI stations participated in the experiments, including Seshan and Urumqi station of China, Gilcreek station in Alaska and Kokee station in Hawaii of USA, Kashima station of Japan and Hobart station at Tasmania of Australia. Baseline lengths are from 1 900 to 11 000 km and the mean relative uncertainty of the baseline length measurements is 1.0 x 10(-9). In addition, the rates of the baseline lengths among the six stations and their three-dimensional velocities are solved out via global analysis of the two APSG sessions and the historical observations of the six stations as well as other VLBI observations from the global observation network. These results are appreciable to the studies of the modern crustal movement in the Asian-Pacific region. Especially, an 8 mm/a eastward motion and a 14 mm/a north by northeast motion are detected respectively for Seshan and Urumqi stations relative to the stable part of the Eurasian plate. The motions directly illustrate the effect of the northward movement of Indian plate on the modern crustal motions of the northwestern and the eastern part of China, which is of important significance to the study of the modern crustal motion of China.