Northern EPR-Segment RO2

This second-order segment of the northern East Pacific Rise, also called Segment RO2, lies between the Orozco and Rivera transform faults, south of the Rivera transform. The segment displays a typical small rifted axial crest, about 2-3 km wide and 20-50 m deep. At some locations the summit trough almost disappears, suggesting high rates of volcanism. A seamount lies just east of the axial crest at about 16°33'N. Magnetic paleointensity measurements on basaltic glasses dated a lava flow at about 2,000 +/- 1,000 years and another at "contemporary" age, perhaps decades to a few hundred years old.