Question

1. The Hawaiian volcanoes are all part of a chain of islands that have been formed by an intraplate hotspot. The volcanoes of the Big Island, such as Kilauea, are the only ones active now, because the Big Island is currently located on top of the hotspot. Look at the article about Lo'iki seamount. Based on its location offshore from Kilauea, and the fact that Lo'iki has only become active fairly recently, which direction do you think the Pacific Plate is currently moving? Explain your reasoning.

Answer 1

We know that Hawaiiyan islands form a chain of volcanic islands that stretches northwest to southeast. This chain has formed because of an underlying hotspot volcano which is Stationary. Now the plate is moving and a new Volcanic Island or Seamount is created as new portion of the Pacific plate comes above the hotspot.

Now the Lo'iki is a new and recent Seamount off the coast of Kilauea in the south east direction. It means new Volcanic activities are shifting southeast wards. So in future new islands and sea mounts will form in South Western direction. It means the Hawaiian sea chain will continue in it's present direction of northwest to southeast. If the hotspot underground is Stationary that means the Pacific plate is moving in the 'Northwest' direction, such that newer parts of the plate in southeast appear on the hotspot to create new Seamount. So this means the direction of Pacific Plate movement is towards Northwest.