why is maine having earthquakes?

Question

we had two in sep and one in oct and now we just had one today

Answer 1

According to a geologist interviewed by the Bangor Daily News in October, there is no way for scientists to be certain what is going on. The Earth's plates are always moving, and sometimes one collides with another, creating a quake. One hypothesis is that a new fault -- or break -- is forming under Frenchman Bay. There have been three quakes scattered about the bay just off Mount Desert Island, and another quake under Champlain Mountain.

Answer 2

Quote
"What causes earthquakes in Maine? The honest answer is that we don't fully understand the source of the underground forces that cause earthquakes in eastern North America. There must be some amount of regional stress distributed through the North American crust that causes rock somewhere to give way occasionally. Geologists and geophysicists have some hypotheses about the origin of the regional stress field, but no consensus has emerged. A nice article, "Why Does the Earth Quake in New England?", written by Prof. Alan Kafka of Weston Observatory, discusses this topic.

At least one thing, however, is clear. Geologically, the circumstances of earthquakes in eastern North America are much different from the circumstances in California or Alaska. A look at the plate tectonic map of the world shows that the west coast of North America is along a geologically active boundary between plates, whereas New England is in the middle of a large plate. The implications for earthquakes can be seen by comparing the plate tectonic map with the map of worldwide earthquakes. About 90% of all earthquakes occur near plate boundaries rather than within plates. Virtually all of the world's deep earthquakes occur near plate boundaries, whereas earthquakes within plates are generally shallow. Furthermore, the vast majority of the world's large earthquakes occur near plate boundaries.

Therefore, we can say that the types of stresses that generate frequent, deep, and large earthquakes near plate boundaries are not affecting New England. The stresses here, though significant, seem to be smaller, and more broadly distributed through the crust. Precise measurement of earth surface movements by NASA shows that the earth's crust in the eastern U.S. is all moving the same way, whereas different parts of crust in southern California are moving in different directions"

From the source below

Answer 3

There is a fault line in the Northeast that shakes it up a little every now and then. I live in New Jersey and I've experienced 2 in the last 15 years. Noticeable, but not damaging. Just enough to make a suspended kitchen light sway a little ... nothing like California

Answer 4

There is an idea that due to subduction of water along with the oceanic plates on one side of a continent can eventually lead to weakening of the continent on the other side of the continent. With the onset of subduction is increased tectonic activity. Another idea is reactivation of existing faults. Extension due to drag forces as the continent is pulled along could also create earthquakes. I am sure there are other explanations, but that should be enough to go on for now.

Answer 5

because of its tectonic plates there possibly scratching or moving which is causing the lithosphere to move!(lithosphere= crust)