Page 70 - Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology

ACTIVITY 2.1 Plate Motion Inquiry Using GPS Time Series

Name: ______________________________________ Course/Section: ______________________ Date: ____________

A. Analyze FIGURE 2.1 . On what lithospheric plate do you live? ________________________________________
B. Go to the JPL-NASA GPS Time Series website at http://sideshow.jpl.nasa.gov/post/series.html . The map
displays GPS stations as small green dots with a yellow line. The yellow line points away from the green dot in
the direction that the GPS station (and lithospheric plate to which it is anchored) is moving. Notice that you
can scroll in on the map to enlarge it and reveal more GPS stations. Find the GPS station that is the closest
to where you live. Record the station name, then complete the Plate Motion Plotter below for the station by
following the directions in FIGURE 2.3 .

1. GPS Station Name:

2. Latitude vector direction (North or South) and velocity: ___________________________________

3. Longitude vector direction (East or West) and velocity: ___________________________________

320 330 340 350 0 10 20 30 40
N
310 50

300 60

290 70

280 80

270 W E 90

260 100

250 110

240 120

230 130
S
220 210 200 190 180 170 160 150 140

4. In what direction is this GPS station moving?

5. At what velocity is this GPS station (and lithospheric plate to which it is attached) moving?

55