Optimal Strategy of a GPS Position Time Series Analysis for Post-Glacial Rebound Investigation in Europe

Janusz Bogusz,Anna Klos,Krzysztof Pokonieczny

doi:10.3390/rs11101209

Abstract

We describe a comprehensive analysis of the 469 European Global Positioning System (GPS) vertical position time series. The assumptions we present should be employed to perform the post-glacial rebound (PGR)-oriented comparison. We prove that the proper treatment of either deterministic or stochastic components of the time series is indispensable to obtain reliable vertical velocities along with their uncertainties. The statistical significance of the vertical velocities is examined; due to their small vertical rates, 172 velocities from central and western Europe are found to fall below their uncertainties and excluded from analyses. The GPS vertical velocities reach the maximum values for Scandinavia with the maximal uplift equal to 11.0 mm/yr. Moreover, a comparison between the GPS-derived rates and the present-day motion predicted by the newest Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) ICE-6G_C (VM5a) model is provided. We prove that these rates agree at a 0.5 mm/yr level on average; the Sweden area with the most significant uplift observed agrees within 0.2 mm/yr. The largest discrepancies between GIA-predicted uplift and the GPS vertical rates are found for Svalbard; the difference is equal to 6.7 mm/yr and arises mainly from the present-day ice melting. The GPS-derived vertical rates estimated for the southern coast of the Baltic Sea are systematically underestimated by the GIA prediction by up to 2 mm/yr. The northern British Isles vertical rates are overestimated by the GIA model by about 0.5 mm/yr. The area of the Netherlands and the coastal area of Belgium are both subsiding faster than it is predicted by the GIA model of around 1 mm/yr. The inland part of Belgium, Luxemburg and the western part of Germany show strong positive velocities when compared to the GIA model. Most of these stations uplift of more than 1 mm/yr. It may be caused by present-day elastic deformation due to terrestrial hydrology, especially for Rhein basin, or non-tidal atmospheric loading, for Belgium and Luxembourg.

Highlights

The global positioning system (GPS) position time series have been employed for almost three decades to analyze and interpret numerous dynamic phenomena that cause deformations of the Earth’s surface
We discuss the differences between the Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) and GPS uplifts for large European area, with special attention paid to the post-glacial rebound (PGR) hinge line, i.e., the line where the vertical rates change their signs from positive to negative, which transects the southern coast of the Baltic Sea and the British Isles as well
Basing on this comparison we indicate European areas for which the GIA model over- and under-estimates the vertical rates estimated from the GPS observations and those for which the present-day effects as ice melting, local hydrology, etc. dominate over the post-glacial rebound

Summary

Introduction

The global positioning system (GPS) position time series have been employed for almost three decades to analyze and interpret numerous dynamic phenomena that cause deformations of the Earth’s surface. An analysis of the GPS vertical velocity field can provide a comprehensive view on the ongoing deformations, and can even help to indicate the uplift center Enough, these deliverables, and especially the uplift center, may vary depending on the quality of the GPS observations, other, non-GIA-related but local phenomena which influence the permanent stations, the length of the time series employed to deliver the GPS vertical rates, as well as the number and spatial distribution of the GPS stations employed. We discuss the differences between the GIA and GPS uplifts for large European area, with special attention paid to the PGR hinge line, i.e., the line where the vertical rates change their signs from positive to negative, which transects the southern coast of the Baltic Sea and the British Isles as well Basing on this comparison we indicate European areas for which the GIA model over- and under-estimates the vertical rates estimated from the GPS observations and those for which the present-day effects as ice melting, local hydrology, etc. Basing on this comparison we indicate European areas for which the GIA model over- and under-estimates the vertical rates estimated from the GPS observations and those for which the present-day effects as ice melting, local hydrology, etc. dominate over the post-glacial rebound

Dataset

Results

GPS-Derived Vertical Velocities