"In geology, hotspots (or hot spots) are volcanic locales thought to be fed by underlying mantle that is anomalously hot compared with the surrounding mantle."
Occurs when a tectonic plate moves over a fixed hot spot of magma, creating a chain of volcanoes like the Hawaiian Islands.
Plate Tectonics: This is the scientific theory that describes the movement of the Earth's lithosphere (outermost layer) and the formation of tectonic plates.
Mantle Plumes: These are upwellings of hot rock in the Earth's mantle that can cause hot spot volcanism.
Hot Spots: These are areas on the Earth's surface where magma from the mantle rises up and creates volcanic activity, even though they are not located near tectonic plate boundaries.
Hawaiian-Emperor Seamount Chain: This is a chain of underwater mountains and volcanoes located in the Pacific Ocean that were formed by a mantle plume.
Yellowstone National Park: This is a hotspot located in the western United States that creates geothermal features such as geysers, hot springs, and mud pots.
Iceland: This is an island nation located in the North Atlantic that is known for its volcanic activity.
Basaltic Lava: This is a type of lava that is low in viscosity (thickness) and typically flows easily.
Shield Volcanoes: These are broad, gently sloping volcanoes that are formed from repeated eruptions of basaltic lava.
Volcanic Eruptions: These are the events that occur when magma and volcanic gases are released from a volcano onto the Earth's surface.
Volcanic Hazards: These are the possible dangers that are associated with volcanoes, such as lava flows, ash fall, and toxic gases.
Plate Boundaries: These are the areas where tectonic plates meet, resulting in earthquakes, volcanic activity, and other geological phenomena.
Transform Faults: These are boundaries where two tectonic plates slide past each other in opposite directions.
Subduction Zones: These are areas where one tectonic plate is forced beneath another due to differences in density.
Convergent Boundaries: These are areas where two tectonic plates collide, creating mountain ranges and other geological features.
Divergent Boundaries: These are areas where two tectonic plates move away from each other, creating new oceanic crust and mid-ocean ridges.
Seafloor Spreading: This is the process by which new oceanic crust is created at mid-ocean ridges and spreads outward, causing tectonic plates to move apart.
Mantle Convection: This is the process by which hot, molten rock in the Earth's mantle rises and cooler rock sinks, causing the movement of tectonic plates.
Crustal Recycling: This refers to the process by which old crust is destroyed at subduction zones and new crust is created at mid-ocean ridges.
Volcanic Islands: These are islands that are formed by volcanic activity and typically located in the middle of an oceanic plate.
Geological Time Scale: This is the system used by scientists to describe the changes in the Earth's geology and life over time.
Hawaiian-style Shield Volcanoes: Characterized by broad, gently sloping sides that are formed when lava flows out of the central summit vent and spreads out in all directions.
Icelandic-style Plateau Volcanism: Characterized by the formation of large basaltic lava flows that cover a vast area, resulting in the formation of flat and extensive lava plateaus.
Flood Basalt Provinces: Characterized by the eruption of colossal quantities of lava over a relatively short period, resulting in the formation of lava plateaus that cover thousands of square kilometers.
Continental Rift Volcanism: Characterized by the eruption of basaltic and rhyolitic magma along continental rift zones, causing the gradual separation of tectonic plates.
Intraplate Volcanism: Characterized by the eruptions of magma in the middle of tectonic plates, which are usually provoked by mantle plumes or other anomalies.
Oceanic Island Volcanism: Characterized by the formation of volcanic islands that rise from the ocean floor due to volcanic activity.
Large Igneous Provinces: Characterized by the formation of giant masses of magma that have risen from the mantle and spread out rapidly on the surface, resulting in the formation of incredibly large volcanic provinces.
Ultrapotassic Volcanism: Characterized by the eruption of magmas that contain exceptionally high levels of potassium and other rare elements, resulting in unique and often exotic volcanic rock formations.
"Examples include the Hawaii, Iceland, and Yellowstone hotspots."
"A hotspot's position on the Earth's surface is independent of tectonic plate boundaries."
"Hotspots may create a chain of volcanoes as the plates move above them."
"There are two hypotheses that attempt to explain their origins."
"One suggests that hotspots are due to mantle plumes that rise as thermal diapirs from the core–mantle boundary."
"The alternative plate theory is that the mantle source beneath a hotspot is not anomalously hot, rather the crust above is unusually weak or thin."
"Lithospheric extension permits the passive rising of melt from shallow depths." Unfortunately, there are no other direct quotes in the provided paragraph that can be used to answer additional study questions.