How Do We Measure Plate Movement?
Earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain ranges are all evidence of plate movement! Isn't that fascinating? But, how do we measure plate movement? We use GPS satellites and lasers to measure the exact movement of the plates. The laser shoots pulses straight to the GPS satellite, the satellite then sends it back to a permanently installed GPS receiver to figure out the precise location on the ground. The records of all the plate movements are maintained for years, and compared.