TLALOCNet: A Continuous GPS-Met Backbone in Mexico for Seismotectonic and Atmospheric Research

The Trans-boundary, Land and Atmosphere Long-term Observational and Collaborative Network (TLALOCNet) is a network of continuous Global Positioning System (GPS) and meteorology stations in Mexico for the study of solid-earth and atmospheric processes. This recently completed network spans most of Mexico with a strong focus on southern and western Mexico. TLALOCNet observations will enable a better analysis of strain accumulation and release processes throughout the Mexican subduction zone and transform faults in the Gulf of California, surface deformation processes, and will provide water vapor estimates that will advance knowledge on atmospheric processes in Mexico. We provide some examples of results generated from TLALOCNet products. For solid-earth applications, we present daily position time-series solutions in contrasting tectonic scenarios and real-time displacement differences for the 8 September 2017 M-w 8.2 Tehuantepec and the 19 September 2017 M-w 7.1 Puebla earthquakes observed from 1 Hz GPS streams that serve as examples of the network performance. For atmospheric applications, we present the evolution of precipitable water vapor and latent heat flux during the North American monsoon season in northwestern Mexico. We finally discuss some of the applications of TLALOCNet for space weather applications in Mexico. TLALOCNet provides open and freely available raw GPS data and high-frequency surface meteorology measurements. Data are available through the TLALOCNet data center (see Data and Resources) that serves as a collection and distribution point. This archive provides a fully queryable and scriptable GPS and surface meteorological data retrieval site. In addition, real-time 1 Hz streams and real-time solutions from selected TLALOCNet stations are available in BINEX and RTCM v.3.1 via the Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol (NTRIP) for real-time hazard analyses, including seismo-geodesic and weather forecasting applications.