mantle source and the magma has started to cool. The eroding processes will then
take over so the volcanic edifices forming the island will start to crumble and break
apart. However, with time the eroding processes will diminish, and the island will
become more stable. This is true when coral grow on the outside edge of the
islands since coral reefs can protect an island from intense wave erosion. During
plate drifting, as the lithosphere ages and cools, thermal subsidence of the lithosphere will affect the structure of the island, which will sink. The island and the
coral reef will disappear except for the coral growing on top of each other. An atoll
is a sunken, flat-topped island whose center is surrounded by coral. Atolls are
found in the equatorial zone between about 28°N and 28°S, which corresponds to
the latitude of coral growth. When atolls sink with an increase in the age of the
lithosphere, then the volcanic edifices become guyots, which are mainly found on
ancient crust ([80 million year old areas of the Pacific Ocean basin).
References
Batiza R (1989) Petrology and geochemistry of Eastern Pacific spreading center. In: Winterer EL,
Hussong, DM, Decker RW (Eds) The Eastern Pacific Ocean and Hawaii: geology of North
America. Geological Society of America, Boulder, pp 145–160
Batiza R, Niu Y (1992). Petrology of magma chamber processes at the East Pacific Rise 9830
0 N.
J Geophys 97:6779–6797
Binard N, Hekinian R, Cheminée J-L, Searle RC (1991) Morphological and structural studies of
the society and austral hot spot regions in the South Pacific. Tectonophysics 186:293–312
Binard N, Hekinian R, Cheminée J-L, Stoffers P (1992) Styles of eruptive activity on intraplate
volcanoes. J Geophys Res 97:13999–14015
Binard N, Maury RC, Guille G, Talandier J, Gillot PY, Cotten J (1993) Mehetia Island, South
Pacific: geology and petrology of the emerged part of the society hot spot. J Volcanol
Geothermal Res 55:239–260
Brousse R, Maury RC (1980) Volcanisme et pétrologie de lîle de TubuaÏ dans les îles Australes
(Pacifique Sud): In: Cahiers de L’Indopacfique, Published by Fondation Singer-Polignac, 43
Avenue George-Mandel, 75016, Paris :131–193
Burke KC, Wilson JT (1976) Hot spots on earth’s surface. Sci Am 235(2):46–57
Cayol V, Dietrick JH, Davis AS (2000) High magma storage rates before the 1983 eruption of the
Kilauea, Hawaii. Science 288:2343–2346
Clague DA, Reynolds JR, Davis AS (2000) Near ridge seamount chains in the northeastern
Pacific Ocean. J Geophys Res 105:16541–16561
Cheminée J-L, Hekinian R, Talandier J et al (1988) Geology of an active hot spot: TeahitiaMeahetia region in the south central Pacific. Marine Geophys Res 11:27–50
Crough ST (1978) Thermal origin of hotspot swells. Geophys J Royal Astr Soc 55:451–469
Crough ST (1983) Hotspot swells. Ann Rev Earth planet Sci 11:165–193
Decaud A (1993) Histoires extraordinaires. Perrin, Paris, p 296
Devey CW, Lackschewitz KS, Mertz DF, Bourdon B, Cheminée J-L, Dubois J, Guivel C,
Hekinian R, Stoffers P (2003) Giving birth to hotspot volcanoes: distribution and composition
of young seamounts from the seafloor near Tahiti and Pitcairn Islands. Geology
31(5):395–398
Duncan R, McDougall AI, Carter RM, Coombs DS (1974) Pitcairn Island- another Pitcairn
hotspot? Nature 251:679–682
Formation and Evolution of a Volcanic Island
343
take over so the volcanic edifices forming the island will start to crumble and break
apart. However, with time the eroding processes will diminish, and the island will
become more stable. This is true when coral grow on the outside edge of the
islands since coral reefs can protect an island from intense wave erosion. During
plate drifting, as the lithosphere ages and cools, thermal subsidence of the lithosphere will affect the structure of the island, which will sink. The island and the
coral reef will disappear except for the coral growing on top of each other. An atoll
is a sunken, flat-topped island whose center is surrounded by coral. Atolls are
found in the equatorial zone between about 28°N and 28°S, which corresponds to
the latitude of coral growth. When atolls sink with an increase in the age of the
lithosphere, then the volcanic edifices become guyots, which are mainly found on
ancient crust ([80 million year old areas of the Pacific Ocean basin).
References
Batiza R (1989) Petrology and geochemistry of Eastern Pacific spreading center. In: Winterer EL,
Hussong, DM, Decker RW (Eds) The Eastern Pacific Ocean and Hawaii: geology of North
America. Geological Society of America, Boulder, pp 145–160
Batiza R, Niu Y (1992). Petrology of magma chamber processes at the East Pacific Rise 9830
0 N.
J Geophys 97:6779–6797
Binard N, Hekinian R, Cheminée J-L, Searle RC (1991) Morphological and structural studies of
the society and austral hot spot regions in the South Pacific. Tectonophysics 186:293–312
Binard N, Hekinian R, Cheminée J-L, Stoffers P (1992) Styles of eruptive activity on intraplate
volcanoes. J Geophys Res 97:13999–14015
Binard N, Maury RC, Guille G, Talandier J, Gillot PY, Cotten J (1993) Mehetia Island, South
Pacific: geology and petrology of the emerged part of the society hot spot. J Volcanol
Geothermal Res 55:239–260
Brousse R, Maury RC (1980) Volcanisme et pétrologie de lîle de TubuaÏ dans les îles Australes
(Pacifique Sud): In: Cahiers de L’Indopacfique, Published by Fondation Singer-Polignac, 43
Avenue George-Mandel, 75016, Paris :131–193
Burke KC, Wilson JT (1976) Hot spots on earth’s surface. Sci Am 235(2):46–57
Cayol V, Dietrick JH, Davis AS (2000) High magma storage rates before the 1983 eruption of the
Kilauea, Hawaii. Science 288:2343–2346
Clague DA, Reynolds JR, Davis AS (2000) Near ridge seamount chains in the northeastern
Pacific Ocean. J Geophys Res 105:16541–16561
Cheminée J-L, Hekinian R, Talandier J et al (1988) Geology of an active hot spot: TeahitiaMeahetia region in the south central Pacific. Marine Geophys Res 11:27–50
Crough ST (1978) Thermal origin of hotspot swells. Geophys J Royal Astr Soc 55:451–469
Crough ST (1983) Hotspot swells. Ann Rev Earth planet Sci 11:165–193
Decaud A (1993) Histoires extraordinaires. Perrin, Paris, p 296
Devey CW, Lackschewitz KS, Mertz DF, Bourdon B, Cheminée J-L, Dubois J, Guivel C,
Hekinian R, Stoffers P (2003) Giving birth to hotspot volcanoes: distribution and composition
of young seamounts from the seafloor near Tahiti and Pitcairn Islands. Geology
31(5):395–398
Duncan R, McDougall AI, Carter RM, Coombs DS (1974) Pitcairn Island- another Pitcairn
hotspot? Nature 251:679–682
Formation and Evolution of a Volcanic Island
343