Hot Spots are areas of crust with unusually high heat flow found away from plate boundries. Eruptions are usually of low-viscosity basaltic magmas.

Hawaii
Hawaii currently sits on top of a hot spot in the Pacific Ocean, which has led to the formation of the Hawaiian Island chain. The hot spot has led to a series of volcanic eruptions which have created the island chain which have slowly risen out of the sea. While the hot spot remains stationary, the Pacific Plate moves in a North-Westerly direction above it. As you move in a North-westerly direction from Hawaii, the age of the islands increase, with Kauai being 5.1million years old compared to Hawaii which is only 400,000 years old.

	Created by Will Welford over 8 years ago

Slide Set on Plate tectonics and associated hazards, created by Will Welford on 30/11/2015.