Continuous GPS measurements in Iceland - ISGPS
Continuous GPS measurements have been initiated in Iceland.
The abbreviation GPS
stands for "Global Positioning System", which is a system
of satellites orbiting the Earth, operated by the U.S. military
for the purpose of precise navigation of military vehicles.
On this page you can
observe the latest results and also
download data from GPS sites in the ISGPS network.
The measurements are a collaboration between The Icelandic Meteorological Office,
The Nordic Volcanological Institute and The Science Institute, University of
Iceland.
Due to a series of earthquake swarms in June and November 1998 in the Hengill area
it was decided to monitor crustal movements in detail in the area.
Funding to purchase four dual frequency (L1 and L2) GPS instruments
(Trimble 4700) was obtained from the
Icelandic Government and the Reykjavik District Heating.
The antennas are Trimble Choke Ring antennas designed to
gain the best possible accuracy. The signal is sent from the
receiver to a local PC computer which collects data into 24 hour long
data files. The data files are then transferred to IMO via telephone modems once per day.
The GPS stations are at Hlidardalsskoli (HLID),
Hveragerdi (HVER), Vogsosar (VOGS)
and Olkelduhals (OLKE).
Three CGPS stations have been installed near the subglacial
volcanoes Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull in response to
increased activity since July 1999.
We use there Trimble 4000SSI receivers and Trimble Choke Ring antennas.
Funding was obtained from the Icelandic Research Council.
The stations are at Sólheimaheiði (SOHO) ,
Láguhvolum (HVOL) and Þorvaldseyri (THEY).
Vestmannaeyjar (Vestmann Islands)
The station at Vestmannaeyjar (VMEY)
began recording data at July 27, 2000. There we use a Trimble
4000SSI receiver and a Trimble Choke Ring antenna.
Two earthquakes of magnitudes Ms6.6 occurred in June 2000, three days
apart. In January 2001 a station was installed in the western part of
the SISZ, at Kiðjaberg (KIDJ). There we use
a Trimble 4700 12 channel receiver and Choke Ring antenna.
Highland network
In late September 2000, a station was installed at
Skrokkalda (SKRO) near the
center of Iceland. The station is funded by the University of Savoie (LGCA).
The instruments at SKRO are from Ashtech: a Z-12 CGRS receiver
and a choke ring antenna.
Back to the ISGPS homepage
Þóra Árnadóttir
Halldór Geirsson.