Relative motions of the Australian, Pacific and Antarctic Plates estimated by the Global Positioning System

摘要

GPS measurements spanning ∼3 years have been used to determine velocities for 7 sites on the Australian, Pacific and Antarctic plates. The site velocities agree with both plate model predictions and other space geodetic techniques. We find no evidence for internal deformation of the interior of the Australian plate. Wellington, New Zealand, located in the Australian‐Pacific plate boundary zone, moves 20±5 mm/yr west‐southwest relative to the Australian plate. Its velocity lies midway between the predicted velocities of the two plates. Relative Euler vectors for the Australia‐Antarctica and Pacific‐Antarctica plates agree within one standard deviation with the NUVEL‐1A