The northeast-trending Ramapo fault crops out north of New York City.
Precambrian gneiss forms the hills to the northwest of the fault, and Mesozoic
sedimentary rock underlies the lowlands to the southeast. (You can see the
fault on Google Earth by going to Latitude , Longitude
W. Where the fault crosses the Hudson River, there is an abrupt bend in the
river. A nuclear power plant was built near this bend. Geologic studies
suggest that the Ramapo fault first formed during the Precambrian, was
reactivated during the Paleozoic, and was active again during Mesozoic
rifting. Imagine that you are a geologist with the task of determining the
seismic risk of the fault today. What evidence of present-day or past seismic
activity could you look for? (B)