In ancient New Jersey rocks, searching for evidence of an earthquake in 2024 – the state of the planet

Geologists Folarin Kolawole and Zachary Foster Burrell of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory prepare to analyze a rock outcrop next to the Lake Solitude Dam in High Bridge, New Jersey, near the epicenter of a large earthquake the week before.

Immediately after the April 5, 2024, earthquake shook the New York metropolitan area and beyond, scientists from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory took to the field to better understand exactly what happened. First out was structural geologist Folarin Kolawole, who arrived in the relatively rural area around the western New Jersey quake's epicenter within hours, looking for signs of ground disturbance. A few days later, another team helped set up a temporary network of nearby seismometers to monitor aftershocks.

This quake, with a magnitude of 4.8, was the largest in the region since a slightly larger quake in 1884. This quake originated at a relatively shallow depth of 4.7 kilometers beneath the village of Whitehouse Station, about 50 miles from Manhattan. If this had happened near New York City, it could have killed people and caused severe damage. Whether larger earthquakes are possible is an open question, and the subject of ongoing research.

An outcrop of ancient granite gneiss in the mist of the waterfall is filled with ancient seismic fissures.

The quake occurred near the Ramapo Fault, an ancient and largely inactive structure — many researchers believe — that trends north-northeast about 185 miles across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Like many small earthquakes that sometimes rock this area, this one was not on the main Ramapo Fault itself; Rather, it appears to lie along one of countless poorly planned or completely unknown secondary faults that branch off from it.

The Ramapo Fault hosted several massive earthquakes about 200 million years ago, when tectonic forces tore Europe from North America, opening up the Atlantic Ocean. They created a subterranean landscape riven by smaller, radiating faults that even now continue to settle and readjust, producing today's more modest events. They are like synapses in the brain. When one shoots, one communicates with others; Stresses released in one place can push stresses to other areas. The situation evolves with each earthquake, but there is no clear road map of where it is headed.

Kolawole explains what he believes are the mechanics of the April 5 earthquake to Jim O'Neill and Chris Peduta of the Bergen Record, the region's main newspaper.

Scientists are trying to clarify the picture. By analyzing aftershocks, seismologists can better understand the mechanisms driving the main event. They can also detect unknown errors and improve maps of known errors. Another key tool in earthquake analysis: examining rock fractures and other features associated with past earthquakes. These can reveal movement trends, ages of past earthquakes and other information that may be useful in modern hazard analysis. In fact, ancient earthquake fractures occur throughout this region, but most of them have not yet been closely studied, if at all.

During his first trip on the day of the quake, Kolawole and his companions examined a cut-off road near the epicenter. They found a series of ancient parallel fractures, very recent-looking landslides that were flowing over the rocks, almost certainly related to the earthquake. While they were there, they heard an explosion. He added that the explosion continued after that and increased in strength for 4 or 5 seconds, “as if it was coming towards us.” It was a 3.8 magnitude aftershock. “It was terrifying. And I'm supposed to be used to these things,” he said.

On the day of the quake, Kolawole's team examined a cut-off road near the epicenter. They mapped fractures caused by previous earthquakes (overlaid yellow lines) and observed a new landslide. While they were there, they were hit by a strong aftershock. (Photos and graphics by Folarin Kolawole)

A week after the quake, with seismologists still discussing details of the event, Kolawole returned near the epicenter with his colleagues to look for such fractures. “We don't want to look at millions of tiny cracks,” he said. “Are there big, clean cracks that we can tell were caused by earthquakes? Are they systematic or random? Are their trends in the same direction or in different directions? Maybe a freshly minted fracture from last week will also be found, and that will be pure gold data. But Such rupture has not been seen from any recent earthquake in this region yet. Either the earthquakes are not large enough, or people have looked in the wrong places.

Near the community baseball field, he examined a highly fractured outcrop that had not previously been documented.

The first stop, planned using geological maps and other data, was the base of Roaring Falls above the Lake Solitude Dam along the Raritan River. A steep scramble down a wooded slope took the crew to an exposed patch of granite gneiss jutting out from the river bank. He and the geologists were immersed in the mist of a continuous waterfall. Kolawole was half wading, half climbing on the promontory, clinging precariously to its slippery surface.

It was filled with ancient seismic fractures. Using a geological compass over each one, Kolawole shouted “strike,” “dive” and other information about the fractures to Lamont postdoctoral researcher Zachary Foster Burrell, who was standing on safer ground with an iPad.

An example of slickensides, which the team found in several locations. These are the remains of a once-buried seismic fault, where one side rubbed against the other, creating a polished face etched with lines running in the direction of movement.

On the street, the crew met a local man who was out for a walk. He described feeling the quake, then blamed a fracking operation in nearby Pennsylvania. “Nothing like this has ever happened in the history of mankind,” he declared. Scientists did not try to free him from this idea.

On the way to the next stop, Kolawole suddenly turned onto a road leading to a public baseball field. He discovered a large outcrop of gneiss on a wooded knoll that was not on any geological map. Kolawole got down and climbed on him. “Crack, crack, crack,” he shouted at Foster Barrel. “This thing is cracked.” In one section, he found 12 clear earthquake fractures, all oriented at the same level. He said it could date back 200 million years, but that is difficult to determine. At one spot, he shined a flashlight on the surface and wondered whether shearing through the rock had been much more recent, but he was unable to come to a conclusion.

Judging the level of movement along a set of ancient earthquake fractures.

Some intermittent excursions took the crew to Ken Lockwood Gorge, a protected area where the South Branch of the Raritan River passes through masses of rock. The team began recording data on several large rock faces. These were also full of earthquake fractures. At several sites, they found rare examples of slicks — exposed, well-preserved remains of ancient faults that were once buried where one side rubs against the other, creating a polished surface lined with striations in the direction of movement. These plates were lined up north-northeast, in the direction of the Ramapo Fault. Even the river itself was a witness to earthquakes. It appears to have formed its bottom by taking advantage of a fault that had long ago broken the surface and provided a direction for the water to flow.

Geologist Sean Kenney of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory took samples from an outcrop broken by the earthquake.

At the end of the day, as the team was leaving the valley, rain fell and drowned everyone. No one noticed the new fracture, but Kolawole was not disappointed. He was planning to return.

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