https://geology.com/usgs/hawaiian-hot-spot/
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The Hawaiian-Emperor Chain
Over a span of about 70 million years, the combined processes of magma formation, eruption, and continuous movement of the Pacific Plate over the stationary hot spot have left the trail of volcanoes across the ocean floor that we now call the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain. A sharp bend in the chain about 2,200 miles northwest of the Island of Hawai’i was previously interpreted as a major change in the direction of plate motion around 43-45 million years ago (Ma), as suggested by the ages of the volcanoes bracketing the bend.
However, recent studies suggest that the northern segment (Emperor Chain) formed as the hot spot moved southward until about 45 Ma, when it became fixed. Thereafter, northwesterly plate movement prevailed, resulting in the formation of the Hawaiian Ridge “downstream” from the hotspot.
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Thank you! So I had it backwards. It was the hot spot that moved at some point. Good find, I learned from it!
What made it move??? What changed this??? Always leads to a question... lol