1. Hot Spots What They Are Their Characteristics How They Behave
How We Know What We Do
Why You Should Know

2. Definition
A volcanic center, 60 to 120 miles (100 to 200 km) across and persistent for at least a few tens of million of years, that is thought to be the surface expression of a persistent rising plume of hot mantle material. Hot spots are not linked to arcs and may not be associated with ocean ridges.

3. Diagram of a Typical Oceanic Hot Spot

4. Convection in the Earth’s Mantle

5. The Hawaiian Islands & the Hawaiian-Emperor Seamount Chain

6. Mantle Plume Note: This concept is being debated…

7. Possible Motion of Heated Rock Inside the Earth

8. Compositional vs. Mechanical Layering

9. Earth’s Major Plates

10. Hot Spot Time Progression

11. Life Cycle of a Typical Oceanic Hot Spot

12. USGS Map of Worldwide Hot Spots

13. Hawaiian Island Hot Spot Track

14. Yellowstone Hot Spot Track

15. Latest Ideas
Hot Spots may be related to huge blobs of magma that rise from within the mantle and pool against the base of the lithosphere
May not be associated with “plumes”

16. Mantle Plume Concept Phasing Out?
Some geologists think that the mantle plume idea isn’t holding up; they think they
can explain magma melting by drops in pressure, rather than deep-seated heat
sources…

17. Summary ~50-100 miles wide Live for 10’s of millions of years
Are fixed in the mantle
Are NOT linked to arcs
May not be associated with ridges
Have a life cycle
Leave a track of volcanic features on the landscape (or seascape)