Figure:GPS receiver on Volcan Cotopaxi, Ecuador. The receiver is at approximately 4400 m elevation, just below the level of the permanent ice field. The top of the volcano is hidden by clouds. This volcano monitoring project is a collaborative effort between the Instituto Geofisico in Ecuador, and Penn State University and the University of Miami in the US.

The University of Miami's Geodesy Laboratory uses space-based geodetic data (GPS, DORIS, and InSAR) to investigate changes in the Earth's land and water surfaces. The geodetic data allow study of a variety of natural and anthropogenic processes, including plate motion, strain accumulation on earthquake faults, mountain building, volcano deformation, subsidence of urban and coastal areas, and changes in wetland water levels. Our work is sponsered by NSF, NASA and ONR.