Hotspots (geology)

In geology, "hotspots" refer to specific locations on the Earth's surface that are characterized by volcanic activity resulting from underlying mantle plumes. These plumes are columns of hot, solid mantle material that rise from deep within the Earth, potentially originating from the core-mantle boundary. Hotspots can create volcanic islands and chains as tectonic plates move over them. As a tectonic plate shifts, the hotspot remains fixed, allowing a series of volcanoes to form in a line.