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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.
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