Joshua Russell, assistant professor of seismology in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, was quoted in a Patch.com article titled "Second Earthquake Reported Off Maine Coast: Follow-Up."

In the piece, Russell said earthquakes that size are “not that common in New England and only happen every few years." He continued, "Although we don't often think about the east coast as being seismically active, there exist ancient faults that were formed during the breakup of super-continent Pangea and opening of the Atlantic Ocean around 200 million years ago. Earthquakes occur on these ancient faults as stresses remaining in the crust are occasionally released.”