Rare Earthquake In Western New York

[Trelane]

While not unheard of, WNY'ers felt a minor earthquake this morning at 6:15 EST. The USGS has reported that it registered as a 3.8 magnitude quake.

https://www.audacy.com/wben/news/local/western-new-yorkers-awaken-to-a-4-2-magnitude-earthquake

https://www.wgrz.com/article/weather/severe-weather/earthquake-detected-in-wny/71-42690800-4fd4-4003-a4eb-eadf9f049b56

[Piney]

The Eastern Seaboard is loaded with deep inactive faults from when Pangea came together, then broke up. 

[Trelane]

A quick analysis from an earthquake engineer from the University of Buffalo. @Pineyspot on in your quick follow up.

"Professional analysis: Earthquake engineer provides details of latest earthquake in WNY"

https://www.audacy.com/wben/news/local/professional-analysis-earthquake-engineer-provides-details-of-latest-earthquake-in-wny

"The fact that the earthquake was just about three or four jolts and lasted two or three seconds was a good indicator that it was to be a small earthquake," said Dr. Michel Bruneau, an Earthquake Engineer from the University at Buffalo. "There's a direct correlation between the length of strong shaking and the magnitude of an earthquake. By the time you have just a few jolts this morning, you could tell he was about to be a four, maybe a five at worst (magnitude-wise)."

"Thankfully, these kinds of earthquakes do not compare to the ones in Turkey. "It's two different things altogether," said the doctor. "The earthquake in Turkey is on the South Anatolian Fault, which is quite remote from everything we're talking about here today. Magnitude 3.8 [earthquakes] are in the 1000s of earthquakes every year. Magnitude 8 earthquakes, there's at least one every year."

 

[Piney]

1 hour ago, Trelane said:

A quick analysis from an earthquake engineer from the University of Buffalo. @Pineyspot on in your quick follow up.

"Professional analysis: Earthquake engineer provides details of latest earthquake in WNY"

https://www.audacy.com/wben/news/local/professional-analysis-earthquake-engineer-provides-details-of-latest-earthquake-in-wny

"The fact that the earthquake was just about three or four jolts and lasted two or three seconds was a good indicator that it was to be a small earthquake," said Dr. Michel Bruneau, an Earthquake Engineer from the University at Buffalo. "There's a direct correlation between the length of strong shaking and the magnitude of an earthquake. By the time you have just a few jolts this morning, you could tell he was about to be a four, maybe a five at worst (magnitude-wise)."

"Thankfully, these kinds of earthquakes do not compare to the ones in Turkey. "It's two different things altogether," said the doctor. "The earthquake in Turkey is on the South Anatolian Fault, which is quite remote from everything we're talking about here today. Magnitude 3.8 [earthquakes] are in the 1000s of earthquakes every year. Magnitude 8 earthquakes, there's at least one every year."

 

I had to learn where all those neat stones the Indians used came from.

The Gap area in Pennsylvania was literally Yellowstone at the time Pangea began to split up. Those volcanic mud pots then became the best weapons grade chert of the Archaic Period.