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Article
How Rigid is the Stable Interior of the North American Plate?
Geophysical Research Letters
  • Timothy H. Dixon, University of Miami
  • Ailin Mao, University of Miami
  • Seth Stein, Northwestern University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1996
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1029/96GL02820
Disciplines
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.

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Citation / Publisher Attribution

Geophysical Research Letters, v. 23, issue 21, p. 3035-3038

Copyright 1996 by the American Geophysical Union.

Citation Information
Timothy H. Dixon, Ailin Mao and Seth Stein. "How Rigid is the Stable Interior of the North American Plate?" Geophysical Research Letters Vol. 23 Iss. 21 (1996) p. 3035 - 3038
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/timothydixon/54/