We have obtained a snapshot image of the earthquake activity along the northern Reykjanes Ridge (RR) using a dense ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) array. The earthquakes are narrowly concentrated along the NE-SW trending ridge crest. The seismicity is segmented into clusters by the en-echelon NNE-SSW trending axial volcanic systems which characterize the obliquely spreading ridge. The hypocenters are concentrated at somewhat greater depths (3--7 km) than on the Reykjanes Peninsula (RP), where the crust is thicker. Normal faulting dominates at the ridge crest. The focal planes are oriented more NE-SW than NNE-SSW, i.e., parallel to the ridge crest and its peripheral faults rather than the trend of individual axial volcanic systems and associated faults. ¿ 2000 American Geophysical Union