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GNSS is a standard tool for monitoring and studying the Earth's dynamic environment. However, the development of dense GNSS measurements remains limited in many experiments by the cost of high-class geodetic equipment to achieve the high precision required by many applications. Recently, multi-constellation, multi-frequency, low-power and, above all, less expensive GNSS electronic chips have become available. We present a prototype of a low-cost, open-source multi-GNSS station. Our prototype comprises a dual-frequency GNSS chip, a calibrated antenna, a Raspberry Pi card and a 4G key for data transmission. The system is easy to deploy in the field and allows precise positioning in real-time and post-processing. We assess the performance of our prototype in terms of raw data quality, and quality of the obtained high rate and daily position one-year-long time series. Our results demonstrate a quality equivalent to high-class geodetic equipment and better quality than other low-cost systems proposed so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an approach to determine seven parameters of the Helmert transformation by transforming the coordinates of a continuous GNSS network from the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame. This includes (1) converting the coordinates of common points from the global coordinate system to the local coordinate system, (2) identifying and eliminating outliers by the Dikin estimator, and (3) estimating seven parameters of the Helmert transformation by least squares (LS) estimation with the "clean" data (i.e. outliers removed). Herein, the local coordinate system provides a platform to separate points' horizontal and vertical components. Then, the Dikin estimator identifies and eliminates outliers in the horizontal or vertical component separately. It is significant because common points in a continuous GNSS network may contain outliers. The proposed approach is tested with the Géoazur GNSS network with the results showing that the Dikin estimator detects outliers at 6 out of 18 common points, among which three points are found with outliers in the vertical component only. Thus, instead of eliminating all coordinate components of these six common points, we only eliminate all coordinate components of three common points and only the vertical component of another three common points. Finally, the classical LS estimation is applied to "clean" data to estimate seven parameters of the Helmert transformation with a significant accuracy improvement. The Dikin estimator's results are compared to those of other robust estimators of Huber and Theil-Sen, which shows that the Dikin estimator performs better. Furthermore, the weighted total least-squares estimation is implemented to assess the accuracy of the LS estimation with the same data. The inter-comparison of the seven estimated parameters and their standard deviations shows a small difference at a few per million levels (E-6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We combine Global Positioning System (GPS) velocity field with Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) results to study the interseismic deformation across the western Altyn Tagh fault (ATF) at longitude 86° E. GPS and InSAR data are consistent after correcting for the contribution from vertical deformation in the InSAR line-of-sight map. InSAR and GPS data identify an area of ∼2 mm a−1 sinistral shear and ∼6 mm a−1 of NS shortening located ∼150 km south of the ATF near the Manyi fault system. Excluding the data located in that area, Bayesian inversion of a 2-D profile across the ATF indicate a locking depth of 14.8 ± 3.5 km and a slip rate of 8.0 ± 0.4 mm a−1, lying at the lower range of previously published estimates. In addition, we find no significant offset between the fault at depth and the surface fault trace and no asymmetry of the interseismic profile that implicitly reveal lateral variations of the elastic strength across the ATF. Detailed analysis of InSAR profile across the fault show no distinguishable surface creep along the western ATF. Our study highlights how different data sets, data selection and model assumption might impact results on the ATF slip rate, locking depth and rheological contrast across the fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use Global Positioning System (GPS) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data to quantify the interseismic coupling along the Xianshuihe‐Xiaojiang fault system (XXFS). Our results confirm 7–11 mm/a of left‐lateral strike‐slip motion along the XXFS. South of the Shimian County, high interseismic coupling is found down to 20 km‐depth along the Anninghe‐Zemuhe fault. A second 130 km‐long section, highly coupled down to 10–15 km‐depth, is identified along the northern Xiaojiang fault. North of the Kangding County, the Xianshuihe fault appears to be predominantly creeping at depth. Previously identified long‐lasting surface creep following the 1973 M 7.6 Luhuo earthquake has now ended, possibly marking the initiation of a new period of stress accumulation and progressive relocking of the fault. Farther south along the fault, we identify a ∼30 km‐long section (∼30.2°–30.4°N) creeping at ∼7 mm/yr. Furthermore, creep accelerated by ∼2 mm/yr during the 2008–2014 period, possibly as a result of the static Coulomb failure stress increment induced by the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, that occurred ∼200 km northeast of it. The 2014 Mw 5.9 Kangding earthquake occurred along the creeping section at the end of the period of accelerated creep. Finally, taking advantage of the long historical records of past large earthquakes available since 1327, we quantitatively compare the moment budget along the XXFS. Results highlight that along the Anninghe, Zemuhe, and Xiaojiang faults, moment deficit for Mw > 7 earthquakes has now accumulated. Plain Language Summary: More probable location and size of future large earthquakes can be anticipated if we accurately know the present‐day distribution of interseismic fault coupling. Knowing date of the latest large earthquake, one can infer slip deficit and estimate the energy available for forthcoming seismic ruptures. Here, we focus on the Xianshuihe‐Anninghe‐Zemuhe‐Xiaojiang fault system in Tibet, which is the largest strike‐slip fault crossing southwestern China. Historical records attest numerous earthquakes during the last few centuries, but the fault has remained relatively silent in the past few decades. We use GPS data spanning nearly 20 years to investigate the present‐day interseismic fault coupling along the fault system. We find the Anninghe, Zemuhe, and Xiaojiang faults have accumulated enough energy for several Mw > 7 earthquakes. However, our results show that the northern segment called the Xianshuihe fault is not locked, suggesting a relatively low energy accumulation rate and seismic potential, despite a long history of frequent earthquakes. Finally, we identify a new ∼30 km‐long creeping section on the Xianshuihe fault, whose creep rate show a transient behavior, possibly induced by the effect a ∼200 km remote earthquake that occurred in 2008. Key Points: Highly heterogeneous interseismic coupling along the Xianshuihe‐Xiaojiang fault system, with the northern Xianshuihe fault predominantly creeping at depthSurface creep observed during 4 decades after the 1973 M 7.6 Luhuo earthquake has endedA new ∼30 km‐long transient creeping segment on the Xianshuihe fault, with creep rate increasing after the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the spatial distribution of aseismic creep on the Laohushan‐Haiyuan fault using Global Positioning System (GPS) data (1999–2017) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data (2003–2010). Comparisons among GPS, InSAR line‐of‐sight (LOS) rates, and leveling show that neither leveling nor GPS vertical velocities can fit the vertical signal mapped into the LOS, implying either complicated vertical crustal deformation in northeastern Tibet and/or complex error structures in the InSAR data. Thus, we combined horizontal GPS with high‐pass filtered InSAR data to produce a continuous LOS rate map crossing the fault. Our geodetic data reveal three creep sections along the fault. Both the restored LOS data and decomposed ascending and descending InSAR data highlight the fact that vertical motion can cause an overestimation of creep rate; we obtained a refined creep rate of 2.5 ± 0.4 mm/a on the Laohushan fault. We further identified a 10 km‐long, ∼3–5 mm/a creep section (∼104.2°E−104.3°E) and a 43 km‐long, ∼1–3 mm/a creep section (∼105.3°E−105.7°E) on the western and eastern Haiyuan fault respectively. Both are located on fault sections that ruptured during the 1920 M∼8 earthquake, suggesting that the 1920 earthquake was able to cross pre‐existing creep sections or that the fault shows heterogeneous relocking after large earthquakes, with creep lasting decades on some parts of the rupture. Fault coupling shows a highly variable rate of slip deficit accumulation along strike, suggesting that coupling might significantly evolve during the period between two large earthquakes. Plain Language Summary: Ample observations document slip on a fault plane is seismic and/or aseismic; the former situation refers to a fault slips suddenly and produce earthquakes, the latter means a fault slips gradually without generating seismic energy. Studying the fault‐creep activity contributes to better understand the seismic behavior of crustal faults. We focus on the Haiyuan fault system, which is located on the northeastern margin of Tibet. Several large earthquakes occurred along the fault system in the past, including the 1920 M∼8.0 Haiyuan and the 1927 M ∼8–8.3 Gulang earthquakes. Using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and Global Positioning System (GPS) data, we identified three creep sections along the fault. Our results show vertical deformation that has mapped into the InSAR line‐of‐sight (LOS) could leads to overestimation of the creep rate. Besides, our findings imply either large earthquakes can rupture creep regions or they can generate long‐lasting afterslip/creep. Key Points: Of three creep segments on the Laohushan‐Haiyuan fault, two are located along fault sections that ruptured during the 1920 M∼8 earthquakeVertical motion leads to overestimation of the creep rate on the Laohushan fault; our refined creep rate is 2.5 ± 0.4 mm/aOur findings support that large earthquakes can rupture pre‐existing creep regions or that they can generate long‐lasting afterslip or creep [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeating earthquakes repeatedly rupture the same seismic asperity and are strongly linked to aseismic slip. Here, we study the repeating aftershocks of the April 16, 2016 MW 7.8 Pedernales earthquake in Ecuador, which generated a large amount of afterslip. Using temporary and permanent stations, we correlate waveforms from a one‐year catalog of aftershocks. We sort events with a minimum correlation coefficient of 0.95 into preliminary families, which are then expanded using template‐matching to include events from April 2015 to June 2017. In total, 376 repeaters are classified into 62 families of 4–15 events. They are relocated, first using manual picks, and then using a double difference method. We find repeating earthquakes during the whole period, occurring primarily within large aftershock clusters on the edges of the areas of largest afterslip release. Their recurrence times, shortened by the mainshock, subsequently increase following an Omori‐type law, providing a timeframe for the afterslip's deceleration. Although they are linked temporally to the afterslip, repeater‐derived estimates of slip differ significantly from GPS‐based models. Combined with the fact that repeaters appear more spatially correlated with the afterslip gradient than with the afterslip maxima, we suggest that stress accumulation at the edge of the afterslip may guide repeater behavior. Plain Language Summary: Ecuador, where the oceanic Nazca plate sinks under South America, is home to many earthquakes, like the 16th of April 2016 event that occurred near the city of Pedernales. This event generated smaller earthquakes (aftershocks), and slow, nondestructive slip (afterslip). Some aftershocks were repeating earthquakes, which are earthquakes that happen in the same spot multiple times. This type of event is usually caused by slow slip happening around it. Within a large slowly slipping area, stress will accumulate at locked, unmoving spots called asperities, that then break intermittently, causing repeating earthquakes. This means that by studying repeating earthquakes, we can measure the slow slip happening around them. In our study, we look for repeaters during the year before and after the Pedernales earthquake. We find repeaters primarily in large earthquake groups at the edge of the areas where afterslip happened. However, the measures of slow slip we calculated using repeaters and the estimates we calculated with GPS do not match. This, and the location of the repeaters around the slow slip areas rather than inside them, means that the repeaters might not be directly related to the slip amount, but to the stress accumulation at the edge of the slow‐slip area. Key Points: Repeating earthquakes are found in Ecuador in the aftermath of the MW 7.8 2016 Pedernales earthquakeRepeaters occur primarily in large clusters at the edges of the afterslip patches, where afterslip gradient is highRepeaters may respond to stress accumulation at the edge of the afterslip [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Anatolian Fault (NAF) has produced numerous major earthquakes. After decades of quiescence, the Mw 6.8 Elazığ earthquake (24 January 2020) has recently reminded us that the East Anatolian Fault (EAF) is also capable of producing significant earthquakes. To better estimate the seismic hazard associated with these two faults, we jointly invert interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) and GPS data to image the spatial distribution of interseismic coupling along the eastern part of both the NAF and EAF. We perform the inversion in a Bayesian framework, enabling to estimate uncertainties on both long‐term relative plate motion and coupling. We find that coupling is high and deep (0–20 km) on the NAF and heterogeneous and superficial (0–5 km) on the EAF. Our model predicts that the Elazığ earthquake released between 200 and 250 years of accumulated moment, suggesting a bicentennial recurrence time. Plain Language Summary: Earthquakes are thought to occur on coupled fault portions, which are "locked" during the time separating two earthquakes, while tectonic plates are steadily moving. The spatial distribution of coupling has been imaged along numerous large faults in the world, but despite its considerable associated seismic hazard, not on the North Anatolian Fault (NAF). The recent Mw 6.8 Elazığ earthquake (24 January 2020) has reminded us that the East Anatolian Fault (EAF) is also capable of producing large earthquakes. To better assess the seismic hazard associated with both the NAF and the EAF, we image the distribution of interseismic coupling along these faults. We find that the NAF is strongly coupled along most of the studied section. On the opposite, coupling is shallow and heterogeneous along the EAF. The initiation of the Elazığ earthquake coincides with a strongly locked but narrow (5 × 14 km) and superficial patch. The rest of the rupture extends over moderately coupled fault portions. We estimate that it took between 200 and 250 years to accumulate the moment released by the Elazığ event. Several fault segments along the EAF present similar coupling distributions, suggesting that, provided enough time, they could host earthquakes of similar magnitude. Key Points: Distribution of interseismic coupling on the North and East Anatolian FaultsBayesian quantification of uncertainties on coupling and Euler polesThe 2020 Mw 6.8 Elazig earthquake released 221.5 years (±26) of accumulated moment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both laboratory experiments and dynamic simulations suggest that earthquakes can be preceded by a precursory phase of slow slip. Observing processes leading to an acceleration or spreading of slow slip along faults is therefore key to understand the dynamics potentially leading to seismic ruptures. Here, we use continuous GPS measurements of the ground displacement to image the daily slip along the fault beneath Vancouver Island during a slow slip event in 2013. We image the coalescence of three originally distinct slow slip fronts merging together. We show that during coalescence phases lasting for 2 to 5 days, the rate of energy (moment) release significantly increases. This observation supports the view proposed by theoretical and experimental studies that the coalescence of slow slip fronts is a possible mechanism for initiating earthquakes. Slow slip events are commonly observed on natural faults all around the world and are suggested to precede large magnitude and/or high frequency earthquakes. The authors here identify merging phases of slow slip events using continuous GPS measurements and define areas and periods at risk of large earthquake occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heterogeneous seafloor topography of the Nazca Plate as it enters the Ecuador subduction zone provides an opportunity to document the influence of seafloor roughness on slip behavior and megathrust rupture. The 2016 Mw 7.8 Pedernales Ecuador earthquake was followed by a rich and active postseismic sequence. An internationally coordinated rapid response effort installed a temporary seismic network to densify coastal stations of the permanent Ecuadorian national seismic network. A combination of 82 onshore short and intermediate period and broadband seismic stations and six ocean bottom seismometers recorded the postseismic Pedernales sequence for over a year after the mainshock. A robust earthquake catalog combined with calibrated relocations for a subset of magnitude ≥4 earthquakes shows pronounced spatial and temporal clustering. A range of slip behavior accommodates postseismic deformation including earthquakes, slow slip events, and earthquake swarms. Models of plate coupling and the consistency of earthquake clustering and slip behavior through multiple seismic cycles reveal a segmented subduction zone primarily controlled by subducted seafloor topography, accreted terranes, and inherited structure. The 2016 Pedernales mainshock triggered moderate to strong earthquakes (5 ≤ M ≤ 7) and earthquake swarms north of the mainshock rupture close to the epicenter of the 1906 Mw 8.8 earthquake and in the segment of the subduction zone that ruptured in 1958 in a Mw 7.7 earthquake.Key Points: A dense temporary seismic network provides a detailed view of the evolution of a megathrust rupture postseismic sequenceThe postseismic sequence is characterized by clusters of seismicity containing earthquake swarms and moderate to large aftershocksSeafloor topography and upper plate structure segment the subduction zone and control slip behavior across the seismic cycle [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use GPS measurements across the Xidatan segment of the Kunlun fault in the Tibetan Plateau to investigate the surface deformation following the 2001 Mw 7.8 Kokoxili earthquake. We find significant postseismic deformation during the period 2007–2015, characterized by an asymmetric shear across the 2001 rupture, with average velocities reaching ~10 mm/year about 30–45 km south of the coseismic rupture. We also find that the postseismic transients diffused away from the coseismic rupture through time, with a shift of the maximum transient rates from ~20–30 km south of the rupture in 2001–2002 to ~30–45 km in 2007–2015. Viscoelastic relaxation is the dominant physical process during the period 2007–2015. The estimated effective viscosity of the lower crust beneath the Songpan‐Ganzi terrane is 2 × 1018–3 × 1018 Pa s from the 2001–2002 data, and it has increased to ~2 × 1019 Pa s for the period 6 to 14 years after the event. The large asymmetry in the postseismic deformation field indicates a laterally heterogeneous lower crust beneath the northern Tibetan Plateau. Viscoelastic relaxation models show that the viscosity of the lower crust beneath the Qaidam basin is ~2 and ~4 times larger than the viscosity of the lower crust beneath the Songpan‐Ganzi terrane in 2001–2002 and 2007–2015, respectively. Based on these data and results from previous studies, we postulate that the Kunlun fault itself is not the unique rheological boundary and that additional domains with viscosity increasing from the Qiangtang terrane to the Qaidam basin appear to be required. Plain Language Summary: Viscoelastic relaxation of earthquake‐induced deviatoric stress change can last for several decades. In 2001, the Mw7.8 Kokoxili earthquake occurred along the Kunlun fault in the northern Tibetan Plateau. GPS measurements in the first two decades after the 2001 event show (1) that postseismic transients diffused away from the fault and (2) that postseismic transients are asymmetric across the coseismic rupture. We find that lower crustal viscosity heterogeneity leads to the observed asymmetric deformation. Although geodetic data constraints with better spatial and temporal coverage are needed, we find that lower crustal viscosity may exhibit northward stepwise increase across the Jinsha River suture, Kunlun fault, and the southern margin of the Qaidam basin. Our findings provide new constraints on the lithospheric structure and tectonic deformation in the northern Tibetan Plateau. Key Points: Large asymmetric shear strain rate was found in the 2007‐2015 post‐Kokoxili 2001 earthquake GPS velocitiesPostseismic transient deformation diffused away from the coseismic rupture through timeModeling the geodetic data requires lower crustal heterogeneity in the northern Tibetan Plateau [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A temporary onshore‐offshore seismic network deployed during the 2‐year period of the Observación SISmológica en ECuador project provides a detailed and well‐focused image of the seismicity for magnitudes as low as 2.1 at the Central Ecuadorian subduction zone. During this 2‐year experiment, the shallow and locked subduction patch shows little evidence of background seismicity that instead occurred downdip of the coupled patch at ~20‐km depth. In this region, seismicity is possibly controlled by the crustal faults bounding the sedimentary basin of Manabí and the rheology of the upper plate. The dip angle of the interplate contact zone, defined by a smooth interpolation through the hypocenters of thrust events, is consistent with a progressive increase from 6° to 25° from the trench to 20‐km depth. Offshore, a seismic swarm, concomitant with a slow‐slip event rupturing the highly coupled subduction megathrust, highlights the reactivation of secondary active faults within the thickened crust of the subducting Carnegie Ridge at the leading edge of a large oceanic seamount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three magnitude >6 earthquakes struck Qaidam, Qinghai province, China, in November 10th 2008, August 28th and 31st 2009 respectively. The Zongwulongshan fault has often been designated as the active seismogenic structure, although it is at odd with the data. Our continuous GPS station (CGPS), the Xiao Qaidam station, located in the north of the Qaidam basin, is less than 30 km to the southwest of the 2008 earthquake. This CGPS station recorded the near field co-seismic deformation. Here we analyzed the co-seismic dislocation based on the GPS time series and the rupture processes from focal mechanism for the three earthquakes. The aftershocks were relocated to constrain the spatial characteristics of the 2008 and 2009 Qaidam earthquakes. Field geological and geomorphological investigation and interpretation of satellite images show that the Xitieshan fault and Zongwulongshan fault were activated as left lateral thrust during the late Quaternary. Evidence of folding can also be identified. Integrated analyses based on our data and the regional tectonic environment show that the Xitieshan fault is the fault responsible for the 2008 Qaidam earthquake, which is a low dip angle thrust with left lateral strike slip. The Zongwulongshan fault is the seismogenic fault of the 2009 earthquakes, which is a south dipping back thrust of the northern marginal thrust system of the Qaidam basin. Folding takes a significant part of the deformation in the northern marginal thrust system of the Qaidam basin, dominating the contemporary structure style of the northern margin of the Qaidam basin and Qilianshan tectonic system. In this region, this fault and fold system dominates the earthquake activities with frequent small magnitude earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slip on a subduction megathrust can be seismic or aseismic, with the two modes of slip complementing each other in time and space to accommodate the long-term plate motions. Although slip is almost purely aseismic at depths greater than about 40 km, heterogeneous surface strain suggests that both modes of slip occur at shallower depths, with aseismic slip resulting from steady or transient creep in the interseismic and postseismic periods. Thus, active faults seem to comprise areas that slip mostly during earthquakes, and areas that mostly slip aseismically. The size, location and frequency of earthquakes that a megathrust can generate thus depend on where and when aseismic creep is taking place, and what fraction of the long-term slip rate it accounts for. Here we address this issue by focusing on the central Peru megathrust. We show that the Pisco earthquake, with moment magnitude Mw = 8.0, ruptured two asperities within a patch that had remained locked in the interseismic period, and triggered aseismic frictional afterslip on two adjacent patches. The most prominent patch of afterslip coincides with the subducting Nazca ridge, an area also characterized by low interseismic coupling, which seems to have repeatedly acted as a barrier to seismic rupture propagation in the past. The seismogenic portion of the megathrust thus appears to be composed of interfingering rate-weakening and rate-strengthening patches. The rate-strengthening patches contribute to a high proportion of aseismic slip, and determine the extent and frequency of large interplate earthquakes. Aseismic slip accounts for as much as 50–70% of the slip budget on the seismogenic portion of the megathrust in central Peru, and the return period of earthquakes with Mw = 8.0 in the Pisco area is estimated to be 250 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contrasted seismotectonic regime of the Western Alps is characterized by radial extension in the high chain, combined with local compressive areas at the foothill of the belt, and everywhere occurrence of transcurrent tectonics. Here, we compare this seismotectonic regime to a large-scale compilation of GPS measurements in the Western Alpine realm. Our analysis is based on the raw GPS database, which give the measured velocity field with respect to the so called “stable Europe”, and an interpolated velocity field, in order to smooth the database on a more regular mesh. Both strain rate and rotational components of the deformation are investigated. The strain rate field shows patch-like structure, with extensional areas located in the core and to the North of the belt and compressional areas located in its periphery. Although the GPS deformation fields (both raw and interpolated) are more spatially variable than the seismotectonic field, a good qualitative correlation is established with the seismotectonic regionalization of the deformation. The rotation rate fields (both raw and interpolated) present counterclockwise rotations in the innermost part of the belt and a surprising continuous zone of clockwise rotations following the arc-shape geometry of the Western Alps along their external border. We interpret this new result in term of a counterclockwise rotation of the Apulia plate with respect to the stable Europe. This tectonic scheme may induce clockwise rotations of crustal block along the large strike-slip fault system, which runs in the outer part of the belt, from the Rhône-Simplon fault to the Belledonne fault and Southeastward, to the High-Durance and Argentera fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]