VALIDATION OF THE NIGERIAN CRUSTAL MOTIONS USING GNSS TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The Continental Drift Theory upholds that the land masses (tectonic plates) of the earth are in motion. These motions have been traced to the activities in the earth mantle. Nigeria is situated at the interior part of the Nubia Plate. Several research efforts have been made to depict the direction of the motions of Nigeria. Two of the recent efforts carried out in 2018: Bawa et al and Ayodele et al, appear to be contradicting each other. This paper investigates the rate of the Nigerian crustal motions as a way of validating which of the results is accurate. Data from the Nigerian NIGNET Stations were obtained and analyzed using the GAMIT/GlobK Software adopting ten IGS Stations as control stations while ensuring geometric balance. The mean horizontal velocity of the Nigerian Region of the Nubia Plate was found to be 22.5625±0.32583mm/yr East, 18.93±0.23417mm/yr North. This indicated a general North East motion which agrees with Bawa et al’s result and disagrees with Ayodele et al’s. It was observed that either the methodology and/or the data used by Ayodele et al was either faulty and/or erroneous.

Keywords: CORS, Crustal Motions, Velocity of Earth Motions, GAMIT/GlobK