A GLORIA hydrosweep, dredging and routine geophysical survey of the western half of the Easter Seamount Chain will be made to determine the physical and chemical character and gross relative ages of volcanism that will therefore place important constraints on its physical nature, origin and significance. All hypotheses proposed to explain the origin of this seamount can be tested with the data proposed for this study. In addition, the data will fill help determine how the microplate originated.
