Hot Spots

A major hot spot in the Pacific ocean created the Hawaiian Island

and Emperor Seamount island

chains.

Radiometric Dating shows that the Hawaiian island

volcanic structures increase in age with increasing distance

from Hawaii.

Hot Spot – area of volcanism, high heat flow, and

crustal uplifting that is a few hundred km

across.

As the Pacific Plate moved over this hot spot,

successive volcanic structures were built.

The age of each volcanoe indicated the

time it was situated over the Mantle Plume

(Hot Spot).

The Hawaiian Island – Emperor Seamount

chain (linear volcanic structures) are

sometimes referred to as Hot Spot Tracks.

Hot spots may remain active for over 100

million years.

The mantle plume (Hot Spot) DOES NOT

MOVE. Therefore, hot spots track the

Direction of Plate Motion.

At least 40 hot spots exist, some occur on or

near the ocean ridge system, such as

Iceland.

Other are located in The Interior of a Plate,

such as the one beneath Yellowstone

National Park.