Strain Rates Along the Alpine‐Himalayan Belt From a Comprehensive GNSS Velocity Field

Abstract The Alpine‐Himalayan belt is one of Earth's most dynamic and complex regions, characterized by intense tectonic deformation and seismicity. Comprehensive analyses of continental‐scale crustal deformation and seismic hazards along this extensive orogenic belt require the compilation of large geodetic data sets. In this study, we integrate 42 published Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) velocity fields, building an internally consistent data set for the entire belt, spanning from Iberia to Southeast Asia and comprising 11,177 horizontal and 3,940 vertical velocities. We use this unified GNSS velocity field to estimate surface strain rates and their posterior uncertainties in the eastern Mediterranean region and the India‐Asia collision zone. Our results show large‐scale agreement between the orientation and style of geodetic and seismic strain rate tensors across the belt. Additionally, our analyses substantiate previously documented azimuthal alignments between principal strain rate directions and seismic anisotropy orientations, often used as a proxy for finite strain in the convecting mantle. These correlations are particularly apparent in the Aegean, North Anatolia, Tibet, Tian Shan, Altai, Sayan, and Baikal regions, underscoring the need for future research on the relationship between mantle flow and lithospheric deformation.