ACTIVE DEFORMATION IN ZAGROS-MAKRAN TRANSITION ZONE INFERRED FROM GPS MEASUREMENTS

The Bandar Abbas-Strait of Hormuz zone is considered as a transition between the Zagros collision and the Makran oceanic subduction. In this area, the transfert of the deformation is mainly accomodated along the NNW-SSE trending reverse right lateral Zendan-Minab-Palami faults (ZMP) system.We used GPS network measurements collected in 2000 and 2002 to better understand the distribution of the deformation etween the collision zone and the Makran subduction.Analysing the GPS velocities we show that 1) Arabia and Eurasia converge in this area at velocity of 23 mm/yr, 2) rate of shortening in the Eastern Zagros is ~8mm/yr, 3) velocities on both sides of the ZMP system are in agreement with a NNW-SSE trending reverse right lateral faulting at rate of 10 mm/yr