Evolution of the East Pacific Rise between 3°S and 13°S since the Middle Miocene

Since Middle Miocene time seafloor spreading activity in the southeast Pacific has shifted westward from the Galapagos Rise, then the last active segment of the Farallon Ridge system in the South Pacific, to the East Pacific Rise. This shift was accomplished by three large jumps of fracture‐zone‐bou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2012-12, Vol.5 (7)
Main Author: Rea, David K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
580500 - Oceanography- (1980-1989)
EARTH CRUST
FAILURES
FRACTURES
GEOSCIENCES
PACIFIC OCEAN
PLATE TECTONICS
SEA-FLOOR SPREADING
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
TECTONICS
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Summary:Since Middle Miocene time seafloor spreading activity in the southeast Pacific has shifted westward from the Galapagos Rise, then the last active segment of the Farallon Ridge system in the South Pacific, to the East Pacific Rise. This shift was accomplished by three large jumps of fracture‐zone‐bound axial sections which progressed from south to north. The jumps spanned an average distance of 750 km and occurred 8.2, 6.4 and 5.7 m.y. ago respectively. Positioning of the newly‐formed axes along the EPR trend apparently was controlled by asthenospheric rather than lithospheric phenomena.
ISSN:0094-8276