Lavas of the Rano Rahi seamount field define a Nd-Pb-Sr isotopic array that connects, and substantially
overlaps, the arrays of the nearby East Pacific Rise axis and 5.6–28 Ma lavas of the Pukapuka ridge
system, situated between the seamount field and French Polynesia. Dating of Rano Rahi samples by
⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar...
As the Galápagos hot spot is approached from the west along the Galápagos Spreading Center there are systematic increases in crustal thickness and in the K/Ti, Nb/Zr, ³He/⁴He, H₂O, and Na₂O content of lavas recovered from the spreading axis. These increases correlate with progressive transitions from rift valley to axial...