Magma Plumes (AQA A Level Geography)

Hot spots form around the core of the Earth where radioactive decay is concentrated

This extreme heat creates magma plumes

• These are upwellings of superheated rock that rise from deep within the Earth’s mantle towards the surface

• They can break through the middle of a tectonic plate to reach the surface causing volcanic activity and earthquakes far away from plate margins

Hot spots and magma plumes can lead to the creation of island chains such as Hawaii

The magma plume is stationary so when the tectonic plate moves over it, a chain of volcanoes is formed

The volcanoes are active when they are above the magma plume, but become extinct as the plate moves away

The oldest island is the one furthest away from the plume