Ground-motion simulations for the 2024 Mw 4.8 Tewksbury, New Jersey, earthquake

Seismological Research Letters
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Abstract

Ground-motion simulations of notable earthquakes in the central and eastern United States are limited and typically assume one-dimensional (1D) Earth structure. In this study, we use a three-dimensional (3D) seismic velocity model to better constrain the depth and focal mechanism of the April 5th, 2024, moment magnitude 4.8 Tewksbury earthquake and investigate the spatial variability of earthquake ground motions and the effects of nearby sedimentary basins. We perform earthquake ground-motion simulations up to 0.5 Hz using the 3D spectral-element wave-propagation solver SPECFEM3D over a region 280-km wide by 260-km long by 77-km deep. Topography and subsurface geophysical structure are assigned using the U.S. Geological Survey National Crustal Model with a minimum shear-wave velocity of 200 m/s. We use earthquake time series from 13 broadband seismic stations in the region that have a uniform azimuthal distribution and epicentral distances ranging from 76 to 131 km to compare with synthetics and explore the effects of 1D versus 3D seismic structure on focal mechanism and depth solutions. Ground-motion intensity metrics are also presented relative to the NGA-East ground-motion models (GMMs) currently used in seismic hazard assessments for the region. We find that the 3D model, which reveals a wide spatial variability of period-dependent ground motions, yields better predictions of earthquake ground motions relative to the 1D model and the NGA-East ergodic ground-motion model, with 76 percent reduction of residual variance in observed ground motions averaged over 3-, 5-, 7-, and 10-second periods. Use of the 3D model to solve for a focal mechanism yields a shallower focal depth at 4 km and a shallower east-dipping focal plane relative to the U.S. Geological Survey regional moment tensor and Global Centroid Moment Tensor. Our study demonstrates that use of 3D seismic velocity models can improve estimates of earthquake focal mechanisms, ground motions, and seismic hazard.

Suggested Citation

Boyd, O.S., Bozdağ, E., Kehoe, H.L., Moschetti, M.P., 2026, Ground-motion simulations for the 2024 Mw 4.8 Tewksbury, New Jersey, earthquake: Seismological Research Letters, v. 97, no. 2A, p. 755-766, https://doi.org/10.1785/0220250333.

ISSN: 1938-2057 (online)

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Ground-motion simulations for the 2024 Mw 4.8 Tewksbury, New Jersey, earthquake
Series title Seismological Research Letters
DOI 10.1785/0220250333
Volume 97
Issue 2A
Publication Date January 15, 2026
Year Published 2026
Language English
Publisher Seismological Society of America
Contributing office(s) Geologic Hazards Science Center - Seismology / Geomagnetism
Description 12 p.
First page 755
Last page 766
Country United States
State New Jersey
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