Hot Spots

What are they? Hot spots are fixed places where hot molten magma rises up through the crust to reach the surface, sometimes in the middle of plates. When a hot spot forms in the middle of a plate, it remains constant, as the plate continues to move over it. The result is a trail of volcanoes left behind, with older volcanoes moving away from the hot spot, and newer ones forming over top of the hot spot.

Types of Hotspots Oceanic  Hawaiian Islands Continental  Yellowstone National Park

Hawaiian Islands (Volcanoes)

How were they created? The Hawaiian islands were produced by a hot spot occurring in the middle the Pacific Plate, The hot spot is presently under the Big Island of Hawaii. Each island is made up of at least one primary volcano, although many islands are composites of more than one. These volcanoes are currently both active and inactive. The Hawaiian Islands are the projecting tops of the biggest mountain range in the world. Click here for a video.

Lava entering the Pacific Ocean

Hawaii Facts Hawaii was the 50 th state admitted to the union in At 800,000 years the Big Island is the youngest of the island chain, however, first discovered. Kilauea volcano is the world's most active. Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world (measured from its base). Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee. There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet. Houses the world's biggest telescope and more scientific observatories than anywhere else in the world.

All About Hawaii

Yellowstone NP, Wyoming

What’s going on under Yellowstone? Yellowstone lies over a hotspot where magma rises towards the surface. While the Yellowstone hotspot is now under the Yellowstone Plateau, it previously helped create the eastern Snake River Plain (to the west of Yellowstone) through a series of huge volcanic eruptions. The North American Plate is moving west-southwest over the stationary hotspot in the Earth's mantle. Click here for a video. Yellowstone’s Official Webpage

Yellowstone Facts Click here for a different video. World’s first national park, 1872 An active volcano waiting to erupt Approximately earthquakes annually Approximately 10,000 thermal features More than 300 geysers One of the world's largest calderas, measuring 45 by 30 miles (72 by 48 km) Thousands of petrified trees in northern Yellowstone Approximately 290 waterfalls, 15 ft. or higher, flowing year-round