Q:1)
Are GPS readings alone appropriate to determine plate motions?
A:1)
I think other measures should be taken into consideration when constructing
a model for plate motion. GPS readings are very accurate compared to other
methods but are have been taken since the past few decades and no GPS data
is available before that period. However, other readings such as magnetic
anomalies span a wider range of time but the down point in this particular
method is that older readings were taken using instruments that are less
accurate than the ones available nowadays and thus generally tend to be less
accurate than GPS readings.
Agree
Q:2)
How would we be able to construct a reliable model for plate movement when
geodetic coverage is not equally distributed over the earth?
A:2)
I believe that the studies conducted using the currently available geodetic
data would be much improved and even perhaps arrive at different results and
hence conclusions if geodetic data is obtained equally over the entire
earth. In other words, it doesn’t sound appealing to draw conclusions and
come up with theories when regions are covered by millions of measurements
and other parts of the world are only slightly covered by very few limited
measurements.
Agree
