Did deglaciation trigger intraplate seismicity in the New Madrid seismic zone?

We have investigated the interaction between large-scale plate driving forc es, lithospheric structure, and the stresses induced by bending of the lith osphere as a result of glacial loading and unloading in the New Madrid seis mic zone, eastern-central United States. The modeling shows that the remova l of the Laurentide ice sheet that covered large parts of the northern Unit ed States until ca, 20 ka changed the stress field in the vicinity of New M adrid and caused seismic strain rates to increase by about three orders of magnitude. The modeling predicts that the high rate of seismic energy relea se observed during late Holocene time is likely to remain essentially uncha nged for the next few thousand years.