Ancient Faults Awaken
The recent 4.8-magnitude earthquake that rattled the East Coast originated from a long-dormant fault line, shedding light on its ancient history. Scientists revealed that this fault line was formed over 500 million years ago during the collision of two continents, shaping the Appalachians and Atlantic Ocean. The leftover stress from the Ice Age glaciers’ retreat may have triggered the awakening of this sleeping fault.
Uncovering Ancient Fault Lines
Millions of East Coasters were surprised by the earthquake, given the region’s low seismic activity reputation. The epicenter was identified in New Jersey, within the Appalachian fold-and-thrust belt, home to numerous ancient faults from the continents’ collision eons ago.
Glacial Rebound Theory
Experts suggest that the Earth’s crust rebounding from the Ice Age glaciers’ weight could have played a role in reactivating these dormant faults. The gradual rise of the crust, still ongoing after millennia, exerts stress on the weak fault structures, eventually leading to seismic events like the recent earthquake.
Further analysis is required to confirm the impact of glacial rebound on Friday’s tremor, as scientists delve deeper into the seismic data.