As part of an international study, information was gathered from 44,000 satellite images obtained using the Copernicus Sentinel-1 system, as well as 14,000 ground-based GPS measurements.
The recent largest satellite study of tectonic processes demonstrated that faults in the Earth's crust are much less stable, and continents are more "fluid" and less rigid than previously thought. The focus of the work, published in the journal Science, was on the Tibetan Plateau, which arose from the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
The research team, led by scientists from the British COMET center and the University of Leeds, collaborated with specialists from Edinburgh, Oxford, Beijing, Melbourne, New York, and other scientific organizations.
The analysis conducted represents one of the most extensive sets of geodetic data ever collected. Scientists created maps of ground surface movement with an accuracy of up to one millimeter, using data from over 44,000 radar images and 14,000 ground-based GPS measurements.
"We have gained the clearest insight into how the continent is being deformed under the influence of immense forces," noted Professor Tim Wright from the University of Leeds, the lead author of the study. "Now we can visually see how the Tibetan Plateau is moving."
The cartographic data shows that the eastern part of the plateau is moving eastward at a speed of up to 25 millimeters per year, while other areas are moving more slowly or even stretching in opposite directions, indicating the complex and ongoing deformation of the region.
One of the key findings was the refutation of the old model that described the plateau as consisting of rigid blocks separated by clear faults. New data suggest that these blocks are not rigid, and the boundaries between them are much more mobile.
Particularly significant in this process is the Kunlun Fault, which, as scientists have established, must be weak enough to allow the central part of Tibet to yield to destruction and stretching from east to west, releasing the accumulated gravitational energy of the massive crust. "The weakness of the Kunlun Fault is key to understanding the processes occurring in central Tibet," commented co-author Jin Fang. "It allows the inner part of the plateau to shift and explains the extensive expansion of the region that has puzzled geologists for decades."
The study also revealed vertical movements, where some areas of the plateau are rising or falling at a rate of about 5 millimeters per year, highlighting the dynamic and complex nature of deformation.
These results not only deepen the understanding of mountain and continent formation but may also lead to a revision of seismic hazard models worldwide. More accurate deformation maps will contribute to improved earthquake forecasting in other active regions of the planet. "This work sets a new standard for assessing seismic hazard," noted Nuno Miranda, head of the Sentinel-1 mission at the European Space Agency. "A truly outstanding scientific achievement demonstrating the important role of major faults in continental tectonics."
