Volcanic Hot Spots

You should be aware that while most volcanoes/earthquakes occur along plate boundaries, there are exceptions. For example, the Hawaiian volcanic islands, located in the middle of the Pacific Plate, are formed due to a hotspot. Volcanic hot spots are plumes of molten rock which rise from the mantle and cause the crust to melt, creating magma resulting in volcanic activity.

The map below shows the location of volcanic hot spots.

A map to show volcanic hotspots

The diagram below illustrates the formation of a hot spot and its associated landforms.

Volcanic Hot Spot – Hawaii