Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill think they’ve figured out what’s causing recent earthquakes around our region and they expect more in the future.
Recent strong earthquakes, like the 5.8 near Mineral, Virginia back in 2011, have puzzled seismologists because the region isn’t near a plate boundary, where earthquakes usually happen.
UNC researchers believe pieces of the mantle – a layer of the earth between the crust and the outer core – have been breaking off and sinking. This weakens the remaining plate under our region, causing it to slip. That creates earthquakes.
“Our idea supports the view that this seismicity will continue due to unbalanced stresses in the plate,” said Berk Biryol, lead author of the new study. “The [seismic] zones that are active will continue to be active for some time.”
People in a dozen states felt the 2011 Virginia earthquake. It caused damage across parts of Central Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and D.C. In fact, many government buildings in the nation’s capital were evacuated and the Washington Monument was closed for 32 months because of cracks.
