Homrighausen, Stephan, Geldmacher, Jörg , Hoernle, Kaj and Rooney, T. (2021) Intraplate Volcanism. In: Encyclopedia of Geology. , ed. by Elias, Scott and Alderton, David. Elsevier, London, pp. 52-59, 8 pp. 2nd edition ISBN 978-0-08-102909-1 DOI 10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.12498-4.

	Text Homrighausen etal.pdf - Submitted Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB) | Contact
	Text Intraplate.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (2MB) | Contact

Abstract

The vast majority of active volcanism that is located at plate boundaries can be easily explained by plate tectonic processes. Intraplate volcanism, which incorporates some of the smallest and largest volcanic events on Earth, cannot be successfully explained by a single process or model. The most volumetrically significant intraplate volcanic events are associated with the arrival of the head of a thermo-chemical anomaly rising from the deep mantle and impacting the base of the lithosphere. This event generates massive and short-lived magmatic activity over a wide area (up to 2000 km across), forming a large igneous province. A long-lived hotspot track can form over the mantle plume tail and is best illustrated by the formation of age progressive volcanic chains, such as the famous Hawaiian-Emperor chain. Millions of smaller solitary volcanic edifices, non-age progressive volcanic chains and provinces, on the other hand, have other potential mechanisms of origin. Potential models comprise decompression melting due to lithospheric extension, destabilization of fusible lithologies in the lithospheric mantle, small scale sub-lithospheric convection, or lithospheric delamination.

Actions (login required)

View Item