the indigenous people all spoke the same language. The area of Polynesia comprises a triangle formed by the islands of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Aotearoa (New
Zealand) and Hawaii (Fig. 9.3).
Fig. 9.3 Hotspot distribution and ages of the Society, Austral and Pitcairn volcanic chain in the
South Pacific are reported. The age dating on the islands and seamounts helps to show the
direction and rate of spreading of the Pacific Plate above the hotspots (Hekinian and Binard 2008)
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9 Hotspots
Zealand) and Hawaii (Fig. 9.3).
Fig. 9.3 Hotspot distribution and ages of the Society, Austral and Pitcairn volcanic chain in the
South Pacific are reported. The age dating on the islands and seamounts helps to show the
direction and rate of spreading of the Pacific Plate above the hotspots (Hekinian and Binard 2008)
308
9 Hotspots