More than a trip south

  Most of the world’s volcanism is associated with divergent and convergent plate boundaries.  However there are sites of volcanism that cannot be explained using plate tectonics.  These sites of this type of volcanism are referred to as hotspot volcanism.

  Hotspots volcanoes are generally located far from plate boundaries.

  Hotspot volcanoes are created by stationary mantle plumes or narrow columns of rising magma for the Earth’s deep interior.

  Mantles plumes have a variety of shapes and sizes.  The width of the mantle plume can range from km  Material appears to rise at a rate of two meters per year.  An important feature is that their position are relatively stationary and long-lived

  Hotspots can occur on both oceanic crust and continental crusts.  Oceanic Hotspots  Submarine volcano is created  Will form island, e.g. Hawaiian Islands, Canary Islands, Galapagos Islands  A chain of volcanoes or islands are formed

 Canary Islands

  Continental Hotspots  Vast flood plains of basalt are created  Upwelling and rifting may also occur  Yellowstone National Park is an example.