First Results of GPS Measurements Along the Lai Chau - Dien Bien Fault in North-West Vietnam

GPS measurements from Feb. 2002 through Mar. 2004 were used to estimate recent crustal movement across the Lai Chau - Dien Bien fault system in North-West Vietnam. Four GPS campaign data were processed and combined with appropriate constraints using automatic GAMIT/GLOBK run in order to estimate ITRF2000 coordinates, local horizontal velocity and extensive/compressive strain rates. ITRF2000 velocities are consistent with east-southeastward movement of Sundaland i.e. Indochina. Local velocities show not much left-lateral strike-slip of the fault system and derived strain rates are insignificant from zero at $95\%$ confidence.