Uncovering Hidden Earthquake Faults: New Insights into the Greater New York Region Seismic Hazards
A major unresolved problem in assessing seismic hazards in the northeastern United States is the uncertainty surrounding where large earthquakes might occur and how strong they could be. Historical records from 1638 to 1884 document several events around magnitude M5 that caused significant damage, showing the region’s capacity for large earthquakes. More recent magnitude M3–5 earthquakes in the New York–New Jersey area further suggest that the region’s geology may be more active than once believed, underscoring the seismic risk facing one of the world’s most densely populated urban centers.
Many of us felt the New Jersey magnitude M4.8 earthquake that struck at 10:23 AM on April 5, 2024, the most widely felt earthquake by people in U.S. history since the advent of modern seismometers. On December 3, Professor Folarin Kolawole will unveil the discovery of a previously hidden active fault zone in New Jersey, with evidence that it produced at least one major surface-breaking earthquake within the past 27,000 years — the same fault that ruptured during the April 2024 event. This discovery has profound implications for infrastructure resilience, emergency preparedness, and public awareness. Join us as we peel back the layers of bedrock and perception to reveal the seismic secrets of the greater New York region and what they mean for its future.
Folarin Kolawole
Folarin (Fola) Kolawole is an Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. He obtained a BSc in Geology in 2008 from the Federal University of Technology, Nigeria, then worked as a seismologist at the Bureau of Geophysical Prospecting of CNPC for three years before relocating to the US for graduate school. He then obtained MSc in Geology in 2017, and PhD in Geophysics in 2020 from the University of Oklahoma. Prior to joining Columbia in 2022, he worked as an exploration geologist at BP America in Houston. His research is focused on investigating earthquake genesis and how tectonic plate boundaries work.
About Us
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory seeks fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution, and future of the natural world. Its scientists study the planet from its deepest interior to the outer reaches of its atmosphere, on every continent and in every ocean, providing a rational scientific basis for the difficult choices facing humanity.
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