New vertical rates over the Netherlands using a new temporal-spatial
approach for vertical movement determination

R. Grebenitcharsky, R. Hanssen and P. Ditmar


A new approach for deriving vertical movements over the Netherlands
has been described and applied. It is based on least-squares
adjustment (LSA) of relative velocities for every height difference
and allows eliminating the correlation between vertical velocities and
the height differences at the reference epoch. As result, the effect
of errors in height differences on vertical velocity estimation can be
reduced. A comparison with conventional epoch-based LSA and kinematic
LSA of leveling networks shows that the effect of systematic errors in
data can be reduced. As result, an improved linear trend of vertical
rates is derived. Due to the fact that only relative velocities
(gradient of velocity field) are used a more detailed picture about
spatial distribution of vertical velocities is available. Additional
geological and tectonic information is used to validate the new
vertical rates over the Netherlands.