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> Hawaii was created by one volcano, while the tectonic plate moved above it. And there's a line of underwater islands all the way to Siberia. Just a quick cla
by privong 8y ago
> Hawaii was created by one volcano, while the tectonic plate moved above it. And there's a line of underwater islands all the way to Siberia.
Just a quick clarification: the Hawaiian islands comprise multiple volcanoes. There's at least five that make up the Big Island (Hawai'i): Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Kilauea, Kohala, and Hualālai. I think what you mean is that the island chain seems to have been created by a single mantle plume / volcanic hotspot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_hotspot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_hotspot
- raverbashing 8y agoThanks for the clarification, and yes, that's what I mean
- jcranmer 8y agoWell, there are two distinct loci of volcanoes at the hotspot: the loci that creates Mauna Loa, Loihi, Hualalai, Lanai, etc., and the loci that creates Mauna Kea, Haleakala, Kohala, Kilauea, etc. It's still referred to as one hotspot, but there may be separate mantle plumes in close proximity.
- privong 8y ago> It's still referred to as one hotspot, but there may be separate mantle plumes in close proximity. Does it need to be separate plumes or can it be bifurcation of a single plume as it passes through the crust?
- jcranmer 8y agoI don't know the answer to this question myself, and I suspect our knowledge of hotspots is poor enough that no one can answer this question definitively.