Inferring Tectonic Plate Rotations From InSAR Time Series

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) provides constraints on lithospheric kinematics at high spatial resolution. Interpreting InSAR-derived deformation maps at continental scales is challenged by long-wavelength correlated noise and the inherent limitation of measuring relative displacements within the data footprint. We address these issues by applying corrections to InSAR time series to estimate ground velocity fields with millimeter-per-year precision over hundreds of kilometers. We use these velocity fields to determine the angular velocity of the local tectonic plate, assuming negligible long-wavelength vertical and intra-plate deformation. The uncertainty of the angular velocity is primarily influenced by observational errors and the limited imaging geometries available. Using the Arabian plate as an example, this work demonstrates the potential to improve plate motion models and evaluate intra-plate deformation in regions with sparse ground-based instrumentation.