The long-term objective of this project is to improve understanding of the kinematics and dynamics of continental collision and associated mountain-building processes along the Alpine-Himalayan collision zone. The primary scientific goals of this project include: (i) comparison of baseline measurements made independently by Soviet and American observation systems, (ii) measurement of internal deformation of the major crustal blocks of the region, (iii) monitoring strain accumulation and release along the major fault systems of Central Asia, (iv) evaluation of preseismic(?), coseismic, and post-seismic deformation associated with major crustal earthquakes, and (v) determination of present- day relative movements between the Indian and Eurasian plates.
