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Implications of Pacific Island and seamount ages for the origin of volcanic chains
Author(s) -
Jarrard Richard D.,
Clague David A.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg015i001p00057
Subject(s) - seamount , volcano , geology , ridge , chain (unit) , cretaceous , paleontology , pacific plate , seismology , tectonics , subduction , physics , astronomy
Available age data from the Hawaiian, Marquesas, Kodiak‐Bowie, Society, Caroline, and Guadalupe chains, all WNW trending Pacific chains, follow patterns of generally increasing ages to the WNW. The inferred rates of volcanic propagation for these chains are not significantly different and apparently offer strong support for the hypothesis that volcanic chains are formed by ‘hot spots’ which do not move with respect to each other. However, age data from the Austral‐Cook chain follow no simple pattern: ages are both younger and older than would be expected from the ‘fixed hot spot’ hypothesis. Eocene and Cretaceous ages from along the Hawaiian ridge are inconsistent with the otherwise systematic age progression along this chain. The limited age data from the older NNW trending chains show little evidence of age progression. The best dated of these older chains, the Line chain, could have formed synchronously along most of its length.