Crustal motion results derived from observations in the European geodetic VLBI network

Geodetic VLBI observations have been performed with the European geodetic VLBI network since early 1990 on a regular basis. The purpose of these observations is to determine crustal motion in Europe and to establish a stable reference frame for other space geodetic techniques. Over the years the size of the network and the number of participating stations has steadily increased. Today, the network extends from the island of Sicily in the south to the island of Spitsbergen/Svalbard in the north and from the Iberian peninsula in the west to the Crimean peninsula in the east. The area covered by the network is affected by two main geodynamic processes which are post-glacial rebound effects in the northern part, and the evolution of the Alps-Apennines orogenic systems in the southern part. With nearly 10 years of VLBI observations the determination of crustal motion in Europe is carried out with high accuracy. Baseline measurements are achieved with an accuracy of a few parts per billion. We compare the evolution of baseline lengths and topocentric station displacements with geophysical models. Strain rates in Europe on a large scale are determined from the results of the VLBI analysis.