Hawaiian-Emperor Chain and Its Relation to Cenozoic Circumpacific Tectonics

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 1972 Hawaiian-Emperor Chain and Its Relation to Cenozoic Circumpacific Tectonics EVERETT D JACKSON; EVERETT D JACKSON U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar ELI A SILVER; ELI A SILVER U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar G. BRENT DALRYMPLE G. BRENT DALRYMPLE U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information EVERETT D JACKSON U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025 ELI A SILVER U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025 G. BRENT DALRYMPLE U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025 Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 28 Jun 1971 Revision Received: 08 Sep 1971 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Copyright © 1972, The Geological Society of America, Inc. Copyright is not claimed on any material prepared by U.S. government employees within the scope of their employment. GSA Bulletin (1972) 83 (3): 601–618. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[601:HCAIRT]2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 28 Jun 1971 Revision Received: 08 Sep 1971 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation EVERETT D JACKSON, ELI A SILVER, G. BRENT DALRYMPLE; Hawaiian-Emperor Chain and Its Relation to Cenozoic Circumpacific Tectonics. GSA Bulletin 1972;; 83 (3): 601–618. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[601:HCAIRT]2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The Hawaiian Ridge and Emperor Seamounts appear to form a single chain of tholeiitic shield volcanoes that erupted sequentially on the sea floor of the central Pacific Ocean during Tertiary and Quaternary time. The chain cuts obliquely across the older Cretaceous structural patterns of that sea floor. While the pattern of the chain as a whole is linear, the individual volcanoes lie on short, sigmoidal, en echelon loci that are subparallel with respect to each other and that may represent extensional features in the crust and upper mantle. In general, the order of eurption progressed from northwest to southeaśt along the chain, but the rate of progression of volcanism along individual loci is nonlinear where best studied in the southeastern part of the chain. Furthermore, simultaneous eruptions appear to have occurred within a distance along the chain of about 200 to 400 km. The available data are consistent with a genesis related to the motion of the Pacific crust over a melting spot in the mantle. This melting spot, which may be due to either excess heat or pressure release, appears to have a diameter of about 300 km and is presently centered slightly north of the island of Hawaii. We concur with the idea that the bend in the Hawaiian-Emperor chain probably reflects a significant change in the motion of the Pacific plate. Our best estimate of the age of the Hawaiian-Emperor bend, based on the existing radiometric data, is 24.6 ± 2.5 m.y., which correlates with a time of increased tectonic activity in the western Pacific island arcs and along the northern and eastern boundaries of the Pacific plate. The vector change in the motion of the Pacific plate (with respect to the melting spot) that is required to produce the bend is about 12 cm/yr in a west-southwest-ward direction. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.