How Rigid is the Stable Interior of the North American Plate?

Timothy H. Dixon, Ailin Mao, Seth Stein

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We analyze data from eight permanent GPS stations broadly distributed through the interior of the North American plate, and use the resulting velocities to estimate an Euler vector describing motion of “stable” North America as a single rigid plate. The site velocities fit the single plate model with a mean residual of 1.3 mm/yr. The residuals do not appear to reflect post-glacial rebound, and tests for differential motion between eastern and western North America at the New Madrid seismic zone show no resolvable motion within uncertainties. The residuals likely reflect observational error, and thus our estimate of the stability of the plate interior is likely an upper bound.

Original languageAmerican English
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume23
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 1996
Externally publishedYes

Disciplines

  • Earth Sciences

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