Acta Geodynamica et Geomaterialia

Title: ANALYSIS OF RECENT AFRICAN TECTONIC PLATE SYSTEM KINEMATICS BASED ON GNSS DATA
Author: Savchyn Ihor
DOI: 10.13168/AGG.2023.0003
Journal: Acta Geodynamica et Geomaterialia, Vol. 20, No. 2 (210), Prague 2023
Full Text: PDF file (5.5 MB)
Keywords: African tectonic plate system, kinematics, GNSS stations, horizontal velocities, strain rates, rotation poles, deformation processes
Abstract: The African tectonic plate system consists of the Africa Plate, Somali Plate, Arabia Plate, and a few microplates. These plates have complex kinematics and involve both convergent and divergent motion, resulting in various fault systems and geological features, therefore require constant analysis. This paper presents an analysis of the recent kinematics of the African tectonic plate system based on the coordinates and time series of daily solutions of continuous GNSS stations obtained from the Nevada State Geological Survey, which are freely available. A total of 217 continuous GNSS stations were selected for the study, including 126 for the Africa Plate, 49 for the Somali Plate, and 36 for the Arabia Plate. This study involved three stages: horizontal velocity determination, strain rates determination, and rotation pole determination. The horizontal velocities of continuous GNSS stations in the ITRF2014/IGS14 reference frame on the African tectonic plate system during 1996–2022 were obtained. Deformation processes were analysed, particularly at plate boundaries such as the East African Rift System. The horizontal velocities of GNSS stations were used to determine the rotation poles of the African tectonic plate system main plates. The velocities, deformations, and rotation poles of the plates were found to be consistent with previous studies. The results confirmed the presence of different geodynamic processes within the African tectonic plate system.