What are geological hotspots like Hawaii and Anahim?

Hotspots are volcanic regions on the Earth's surface that are independent of tectonic plate boundaries and are thought to be fed by hot underlying mantle or created by weak, thin crust. The Hawaiian hotspot is one of the most intensively studied examples, responsible for a vast undersea mountain range in the Pacific Ocean. Geological hypotheses regarding their origins generally split between deep mantle plumes and shallow lithospheric extension.

What we know

• Hotspots are volcanic locales on the Earth's surface that are independent of tectonic plate boundaries. [2]
• The Hawaii hotspot is located near the Hawaiian Islands in the northern Pacific Ocean and forms a 6,200-kilometer seamount chain. [3, 4]
• One hypothesis suggests hotspots are caused by mantle plumes rising from the core-mantle boundary, while alternative plate theory suggests unusual crustal weakness or thinness permits passive melt rising. [2]
• The Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain includes over 80 identified undersea volcanoes and stretches to near the Aleutian Trench. [4]

Where to go next

• how it workedHow do mantle plumes form at the core-mantle boundary?
• a case in pointWhat is the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain?
• compared withHow do tectonic plate boundaries influence volcanism?
• what caused itWhat role does lithospheric extension play in volcanism?
• the bigger pictureWhat is the geological definition of a mantle plume?
• an unexpected connectionHow does Hawaiian mythology reflect active volcanism?The volatile state of Hawaiian volcanoes and their constant battle with the sea became a major element in Hawaiian mythology embodied in the deity Pele.

Sources

• [1]hotspot (Wikidata Q105131) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Hotspot (geology) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Hawaii hotspot · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]List of islands of Hawaii · CC BY-SA 4.0