The M=7.1 Hector Mine earthquake ruptured the Lavic Lake fault near Twentyn
ine Palms, CA at 09:46 UTC October 16, 1999. Because it occurred near the e
astern edge of the Southern California Integrated GPS Network (SCIGN), a ne
twork of permanent, continuously recording GPS receivers for measuring the
crustal deformation field around Los Angeles, CA, it was possible to determ
ine the deformation associated with the earthquake with unprecedented speed
and reliability. Thirty-four stations recorded displacements over the 3-si
gma level. The displacements measured with GPS can be modeled by a fault 46
.2 +/- 2.6 km long, 8.2 +/- 1.0 km wide, striking 330 degrees, dipping 84 d
egrees east, with 301 +/- 36 cm right lateral strike-slip, and 145 +/- 36 c
m of east-up dip-slip, yielding a potency of 1.3 km(3) and geodetic moment
of 3.8 x 10(26) dyne-cm. The trace and dip of the model fault is consistent
with the observed ground rupture and seismic focal mechanisms.