Significance of kinematic plate parameters derived from actual satellite laser ranging data

Station coordinate shifts observed by satellite laser ranging are analysed with respect to global plate kinematics. Under the geophysically founded assumption of rigid plates, uniform rotation vectors are estimated for all stations situated on the same plate. It is demonstrated that these parameters are not significant from the present-day data set. In a second step, inter-plate station movements are used to derive relative plate rotations. The hereby geodetically derived relative rotation vectors are compared with the geophysical model of Minster and Jordan. There are considerable discrepancies between the two models which do not allow to give a statement about the validity of models from geologic time scale for present-day plate kinematics.