How is an island formed over a hot spot?

Answer 1

First of all, we must state that hotspots are outputs of magma that are located usually at the centre of a plate. These hotspots are located beneath the plate. When the magma from the hotspot spews out, it hardens and forms an island, usually a volcanic island. As time passes, the plate moves and "carries" the island with it away from the hotspot, as the island is located above the plate. The volcano(es) on that island become extinct, as its magma source is cut off, remembering the fact that the hotspot does not move. Magma then flows out to form a new volcanic island, and this process repeats until many islands are formed, becoming an island chain. The best example of an island chain formed by a hot spot is the Hawaiian chain, the newest is Hawaii running to the oldest one, that is still above sea level, called Ni'ihau.

The hot spot is under the crust and now has the form of the volcano on Hawaii called Mauna Loa, however what moves is the crust, the hotspot only melts through the crust to cause eruptions and the lava builds up over time to create the land. Kilauea is slowly becoming the most active as the pacific plate moves north, north westwards. Behind Ni'ihau are a series of seamounts and atols which were created long before Hawaii was, seamounts do not rise above the sea surface, and atols only partially do but mostly as small strips of land mostly comprised of sand which can be washed away by strong hurricanes. The size of the island is determined by the length of time the crust has been above the hot spot and how active the eruptions have been and lastly how strong that part of the oceanic plate is, whether it has faults or seams which can be exploited. The next island after Hawaii will start life as a small underwater volcano.

Answer 2

Great question. When an island forms over a hot spot this is what occurs. A hot spot is an area of magma within the oceanic crust and it slowly starts to rise and eventually comes through some sort of fault, vent, or under water volcano. Over time when it erupts it slowly starts to cool and create rocks that build up on top of each other and eventually starts to come up above the water level. It takes a while for this to occur but it creates an island. Example is Hawaii.

Answer 3

A hot spot, unlike other forms of volcanism that rely on plate subduction, is due to rising heat from a specific location in the mantle which is very localized, not broadly regionalized. The Hawaiian Islands are a great example of the resultant landforms created by a hot spot that exists under oceanic crust. While the crust moves over the hot spot due to plate tectonics, volcanic mountains build up on the ocean floor, eventually breaching the surface of the water. As the crust moves away, the existing volcanic mountains become inactive and are replaced with newer volcanic mountains, the older ones slowly eroding below the surface of the ocean.

Answer 4

They don't. They form the island through volcanic activity.

Answer 5

the hawaiian islands ;)))))) hope I can help ya!

Answer 6

Hot spots lead to island formation when they cause years magma buildup. This magma buildup continues and creates land mass.