Paleogeology

Paleogeology, Paleoclimate, in relation to Evolution of Life on Earth

mantle plumes

Mantle plumes are persistent upwellings of hot mantle material that are typically associated with mafic volcanism at deep plume hot spots such as Hawaii. animation . computer simulation of plumes .

Mantle plumes are associated with surface expressions such as large igneous provinces, oceanic islands, seamounts, continental flood basalts, and oceanic and continental linear volcanic chains called "hotspot tracks".

Morgan (1971) first proposed the mantle plume concept (more info) based on Wilson's (1963) ideas that stationary shallow mantle hotspots underlay island/seamount chains in the deep ocean, and motion of crustal plates over these hotspots produced hotspot tracks. Evidence for moving mantle plumes...Is nothing stationary? The Wilson-Morgan hotspot-plume theory comprised a key piece of evidence for the burgeoning theory of global plate tectonics.

"This Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics", U.S. Geological Survey hotspots and mantle thermal plumes (more info) : Bending thoughts about Hawaiian chain : The Hawaiian hotspot debate: an update (more info) : Beneath Yellowstone: Evaluating Plume and Nonplume Models Using Teleseismic Images of the Upper Mantle (more info) : Mantle plumes - both deep and shallow : Is Yellowstone volcanism caused by a deep-seated mantle plume? :

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