An earthquake shook Lake Michigan. so what?

It’s not every day that Illinois sees an earthquake like the 2.9 magnitude quake that struck Lake Michigan on Wednesday afternoon. But experts say earthquakes in the region are more common than some think.

So far this decade, the state has experienced 44 earthquakes, according to Robert Bauer, principal scientist in engineering geology at the Illinois State Geological Survey. Wednesday is marked as the latest.

The mild earthquake was recorded off the coast of the northern suburbs near the Illinois-Wisconsin border. The quake had a depth of 3.1 miles and occurred 13.8 miles northeast of Evanston, according to the US Geological Survey.

Local seismic activity varies greatly from year to year, Bauer said. However, the state receives on average about 10 earthquakes per year. This is certainly more rare than in other areas of the country — Illinois is located in what the USGS considers a “stable continental zone” — but the occasional earthquake is not uncommon at all.

But what caused Wednesday’s earthquake and another earthquake like it? It goes back to the basics of geology.

The Earth consists of four main layers, with the outer two layers forming a thin surface covering the planet. But this surface is divided into parts.

The land consists of several pieces. What’s more, those pieces – called tectonic plates – are constantly moving. The pieces meet at plate boundaries, where they usually grind against each other slowly.

Earthquakes, at their simplest level, are a function of friction between those pieces. As for what determines why earthquakes occur more frequently in some areas than others, that’s a bit more complicated.

Earthquakes are concentrated at plate boundaries. At boundaries, because the edges of the plates are jagged, areas can become disrupted while the rest of the plate continues to move, according to the USGS. An earthquake occurs when an edge remains stuck long enough that energy that would normally cause pieces to slide over each other is stored instead. When this tension is interrupted, a large amount of energy is released.

But there are also earthquakes within plates. This is the case for Illinois, which lies farther from the nearest border. These tremors are caused by faults — cracks in the rock — deep below the surface, according to Bauer.

Underneath Illinois there are pre-existing faults associated with a previous geological era, which are essentially ancient fractures that have been buried for a long time over time, Bauer explained. Although Illinois is not bordered by a border, pressure from the border to the east and west could stress these faults, triggering earthquakes, Bauer said.

There are two major seismic zones affecting Illinois, according to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. This includes the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone and the New Madrid Seismic Zone. The Wabash Valley Seismic Zone lies between southeastern Illinois and southeastern Indiana, while the New Madrid Seismic Zone lies in the central Mississippi Valley, covering a wide area across several states from Illinois to Arkansas.

The bulk of the state’s earthquakes occur in southern Illinois because those ancient layers of earth are more loosened downstate than they are in the north, Bauer said.

Some of the strongest earthquakes the state has seen historically measured just over 5.0, Bauer said. In recent years, Bauer pointed to a 5.2 magnitude earthquake recorded in southern Illinois near Mount Carmel in 2008. Back in 1968, there was a 5.3 magnitude earthquake, also in Hamilton County. More than a hundred years ago, in the Chicago area, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake shook Aurora, causing some damage and leading to some fires, Bauer said.

However, in terms of earthquake strength, earthquakes are felt somewhat differently in the Midwest than in, say, California, which is located near plate boundaries. The earthquake in Illinois is located in the middle of the tectonic plate, and will radiate far beyond the boundary, Bauer said.

“It’s like a bell,” Bauer explained. When the bell rings, the waves don’t go very far. But as the bell is completed, it rings. In other words, an earthquake within a plate goes a long way.

On Wednesday, local officials on the North Shore reported no damage as a result of the Lake Michigan earthquake, and no reports of boaters or swimmers being injured.

And while earthquakes may not always be top of mind here in the Interior, Bauer encouraged earthquake awareness — and especially safety —.

The Associated Press contributed.

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