Interseismic geodetic observations at active boundaries contain information about tectonic motions and earthquake cycle processes. The combined effects of these two processes may serve to mask tectonic signals near active faults. Motivated by the observation of coseismic rotational motion during the 2016 M_w 7.8 Kaikōura New Zealand earthquake we develop idealized models for the masking of tectonic motions near blocks with local rotation poles. We show that differential interseismic velocities may reach local, rather than far field, maxima contributing to suppression of apparent slip deficit rates. This effect is most pronounced for small ( 10 km) effective locking depths.
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