The RING network: improvement of a GPS velocity field in the central Mediterranean

Antonio Avallone Antonio Avallone,Ciriaco D'ambrosio Ciriaco D'Ambrosio,Elisabetta D'anastasio Elisabetta D'Anastasio,Enrico Serpelloni Enrico Serpelloni,Federica Riguzzi Federica Riguzzi,Francesco Obrizzo Francesco Obrizzo,Gianpaolo Cecere Gianpaolo Cecere,Giulio Selvaggi Giulio Selvaggi,Giuseppe Casula Giuseppe Casula,Grazia Pietrantonio Grazia Pietrantonio,Luigi Falco Luigi Falco,Luigi Zarrilli Luigi Zarrilli,Marco Anzidei Marco Anzidei,Mario Mattia Mario Mattia,Massimo Rossi Massimo Rossi,Nicola D'agostino Nicola D'Agostino,Prospero De Martino Prospero De Martino,Roberto Devoti Roberto Devoti,Umberto Tammaro Umberto Tammaro

doi:10.4401/ag-4549

Abstract

Since 2004, a continuous Global Positioning System (GPS) network has been operated by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) to investigate active tectonic processes in Italy and the surrounding regions, which are still largely debated. This important infrastructure is known as Rete Integrata Nazionale GPS (RING) network, and it consists of about 130 stations that are deployed all over Italy. The development and realization of a stable GPS monumentation, its integration with seismological instruments, and the choice of both satellite and internet data transmission, make this network one of the most innovative and reliable CGPS networks in the world. The technologically advanced development of the RING network has been accompanied by the development of different data processing strategies, which are mainly dependent on the use of different GPS analysis software. The different software-related solutions are here compared at different scales for this large network, and the consistency is evaluated and quantified within an RMS value of 0.3 mm/yr.

Highlights

The plate boundary between Nubia and Eurasia is characterized by complex kinematics, mainly due to geometrical and rheological features that remain to be described in detail [Westaway 1990, Serpelloni et al 2005]
After a first description of the aspects related to the implementation of the Rete Integrata Nazionale GPS (RING) network, the aim of this study is to describe the different software-related Global Positioning System (GPS) data processing strategies, and to evaluate the consistency among the different solutions, outlining the results carried out with the present-day GPS velocity field along with the Africa-Eurasia plate boundary zone
In the present study, we have first described in detail the technologically advanced characteristics of the high-quality Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) CGPS infrastructure, as the RING network, and the impact for geophysical studies that is provided by such a dense national-scale CGPS network that is enlarged by other more local CGPS networks in Italy

Summary

Introduction

The plate boundary between Nubia and Eurasia is characterized by complex kinematics, mainly due to geometrical and rheological features that remain to be described in detail [Westaway 1990, Serpelloni et al 2005]. The GPS is a fundamental tool for studying the kinematics of continental deformation at diffuse plate boundaries, which allows inter-seismic velocities and velocity gradients at different scales to be measured. Some recent papers [Hollenstein et al 2003, D'Agostino and Selvaggi 2004, Serpelloni et al 2005] indicate that strain rates in Italy are higher than expected [Anzidei et THE RING NETWORK FOR ACTIVE TECTONICS STUDIES al. D'Agostino et al [2008] and Devoti et al [2008] have proposed more refined models of the active tectonics in the central Mediterranean, showing the importance of a dense CGPS network, to properly measure strain rates within the plate boundary

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion