Horizontal Motion of Chichijima Derived from Satellite Laser Ranging Observations

Abstract

The horizontal velocity of Chichijima was obtained through the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) campaign observations carried out in 1988 and 1996 by the Hydrographic Department of Japan. SLR analyses were made with global data by combining multiple geodetic satellites, AJISAI, LAGEOS”I and-II. The velocity of Chichijima from the SLR positioning results was estimated both in local and global approaches :f rom the baseline change rate with Simosato, the permanent SLR station in Japan, and from arc length rates between global stations. The latter approach gave an absolute velocity of Chichijima based on the no net rotation system. Both results are consistent with the predicted values from the Philippine Sea plate motion model by Seno et al. (1993) obtained from the seismic slip vectors along the plate boundary. The result also agrees with those from other space geodetic techniques, VLEI and GPS observations. Key words :Chichijima, SLR, Philippine Sea plate, plate motion, no net rotation syste