How are scientists studying the Rio Grande Rift?
Since the movements of the rift are small and slow (between 0.5 and 2 millimeters per year,) scientists are testing a new technology to see whether it can tell them more about the rift. A team of scientists from the University of Colorado and the University of New Mexico with funding from the National Science Foundation’s Earthscope program are seeking information on how much the Rio Grande Rift is moving by setting global positioning systems (GPS) to fixed geologic features in a grid system that runs from the central Colorado Rockies into southern New Mexico. The team is seeking to determine whether GPS instruments, which rely on satellites for their measurements, can accurately measure the miniscule movements of the Rio Grande Rift.
