How many Pacific hotspots are fed by deep-mantle plumes?

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 2001 How many Pacific hotspots are fed by deep-mantle plumes? Valérie Clouard; Valérie Clouard 1Jeune Equipe Terre-Océan, Université de la Polynésie Française, B.P. 6570, Faaa, French Polynesia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Alain Bonneville Alain Bonneville 2UMR Géosciences Marines, Institut de Physique du Globe, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Valérie Clouard 1Jeune Equipe Terre-Océan, Université de la Polynésie Française, B.P. 6570, Faaa, French Polynesia Alain Bonneville 2UMR Géosciences Marines, Institut de Physique du Globe, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 20 Nov 2000 Revision Received: 26 Mar 2001 Accepted: 10 Apr 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2001) 29 (8): 695–698. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0695:HMPHAF>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 20 Nov 2000 Revision Received: 26 Mar 2001 Accepted: 10 Apr 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Valérie Clouard, Alain Bonneville; How many Pacific hotspots are fed by deep-mantle plumes?. Geology 2001;; 29 (8): 695–698. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0695:HMPHAF>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 SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Pacific plate is usually considered to host 14 hotspots, but most of this volcanism does not seem to originate from deep-mantle plumes. To reach this conclusion, we tried to establish how many of the seamount alignments on the Pacific plate correspond to classic hotspots, i.e., long-lived hotspots linked to oceanic basaltic plateaus. We retraced the tracks of the 14 Pacific hotspots by using (1) the absolute stage poles representing the Pacific plate absolute motion since 145 Ma, (2) an updated compilation of radiometric ages of seamounts and oceanic plateaus totaling 266 seamounts or islands, (3) the detailed bathymetry of the Pacific Ocean, and (4) the present locations of the hotspots. This analysis allowed us to correlate only three hotspots with the beginning of their tracks possibly corresponding in space and time to an oceanic plateau: Easter to the eastern Mid-Pacific Mountains, Louisville to the Ontong Java plateau, and, with less confidence, Marquesas to Hess Rise and Shatsky Ridge. In addition, the Hawaii hotspot has produced long-lived volcanism. These four are the only classic hotspots on the Pacific plate. However, seven hotspots present short tracks (<35 m.y.) that cannot be traced to an oceanic plateau and thus are not related to any deep-mantle phenomena: Foundation, Macdonald, Pitcairn, Rarotonga, Rurutu, Samoa, and Society. The two northeast Pacific hotspots, Kodiak-Bowie and Cobb, and the Caroline hotspot are unclassifiable because of close proximity to a subduction zone where the prior history of volcanism has been lost. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.