Recent Kinematics Analysis of Major Tectonic Plates from GNSS Positions and Velocities in the ITRF2020

Satellite geodesy has become a powerful and reliable approach for investigating of geophysical processes, including tectonic, seismic, and volcanic activity. In seismotectonic research, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) provides precise estimates of plate motion parameters and offers valuable insights into present-day crustal deformation. The determination of Euler pole parameters and plate velocities represents a fundamental problem in global tectonics and a critical component of many geodynamic studies. This study aims to determine and analyze the parameters that characterize tectonic plate motion, specifically the rotation pole position (Φ, λ) and the angular rotation rate (Ω). The present-day kinematics of major tectonic plates are investigated using hundreds of geodetic observations provided by the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory (NGL) over the period 2000–2025. The analysis is based on GNSS station positions and velocities expressed in the International Terrestrial Reference Frame 2020 (ITRF2020). The estimation of Euler pole parameters for five major tectonic plates resulted in the following preliminary findings: for the African plate (𝜆𝐴𝑓=−81.97°±0.37; 𝜑𝐴𝑓=50.08°±0.14 and 𝛺𝐴𝑓=0.2665°𝑀𝑦𝑟⁄±0.0010);for the Eurasian plate (𝜆𝐸𝑢=−99.51°±0.98; 𝜑𝐸𝑢=54.61°±0.62 and 𝛺𝐸𝑢=0.2581°𝑀𝑦𝑟⁄±0.0016); for the North American plate (𝜆𝑁𝐴=−88.70°±0.32; 𝜑𝑁𝐴=−8.18°±0.42 and 𝛺𝑁𝐴=0.1863°𝑀𝑦𝑟⁄±0.0009 ); for South American plate (𝜆𝑆𝐴=−128.17°±0.92; 𝜑𝑆𝐴=−19.12°±0.35 and 𝛺𝑆𝐴=0.1178°𝑀𝑦𝑟⁄±0.0015) ; and for the Australian plate (𝜆𝐴𝑢=37.87°±0.22; 𝜑𝐴𝑢=32.84°±0.15 and 𝛺𝐴𝑢=0.6331°𝑀𝑦𝑟⁄±0.0007).The results were compared with the NNR-MORVEL56 plate motion model, providing key information for geodynamic modeling and insights into present-day tectonic behavior and seismic hazard.
Keywords
GNSS Stations; Tectonic Plates Velocities; Euler pole Parameters; ITRF2020.