The motion and active deformation of India

Measurements of surface displacements using GPS constrain the motion and deformation of India and India-Eurasia plate boundary deformation along the Himalaya. The GPS velocities of plate-interior sites constrain the pole of the angular velocity vector of India with respect to Eurasia to lie at 25.6 +/- 1.0 degreesN 11.1 +/- 9.0 degreesE, approximately 6 degrees west of the NUVEL-1A pole of < 3 Ma plate motion. The angular rotation rate of 0.44 +/- 0.030 Myr(-1) is 14% slower than the long-term rate of 0.51 Myr(-1). Insignificant velocities between plate interior sites indicate that the exposed Indian plate is stable to within 7.10(-9) yr(-1). The observed contraction vector across the Himalaya (less than or equal to 20 mm/yr) veers from similar to N20E degrees in the northwest Himalaya to similar to N25 degreesW in east Nepal, consistent with cast-west extension of southern Tibet.