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The thickness of the asthenosphere deduced from the motion of the Hawaiian Hot Spot
Author(s) -
Forristall G. Z.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl001i003p00131
Subject(s) - asthenosphere , geology , hot spot (computer programming) , plate tectonics , seamount , kinematics , geodesy , reference frame , geophysics , mantle (geology) , seismology , lithosphere , paleontology , frame (networking) , physics , tectonics , telecommunications , classical mechanics , computer science , operating system
It now appears that hot spots do not provide a fixed reference frame for plate motions. However, if individual hot spots trace the motion of particular zones in the mantle, knowledge of their motions can give insight into the kinematics of the deeper flow. The motion of the Hawaiian hot spot with respect to the plate is calculated from seamount ages, and the absolute northward motion of the plate is given by paleoequator positions. In a fixed reference frame, the southward velocity of the hot spot is comparable to the northward motion of the plate. For a simple two‐layer convention model, the zone of return flow (asthenosphere) must then be about twice as thick as the plate.