Uncertainties in Trends of Young Hot Spot Tracks

Abstract

Uncertainties in trends of hot spot tracks are investigated using a relationship between trend uncertainty and the mapview dimensions of a hot spot track. Prior estimates of Δt (the time span averaged in estimating the trend of a hot spot track), combined with an observed average track width of σwidth = 33 km, indicate that uncertainties in track trend are larger than estimated before, especially for hot spot tracks on slow-moving lithosphere. Measured values of σwidth of different hot spot tracks differ insignificantly from one another. Track widths show no significant differences between oceanic and continental tracks and between tracks of deep plumes and tracks of shallow plumes. We find that motion between groups of hot spots on different plates is slow. Nominal speeds vary from 0 to 6 mm/a with a lower bound of zero and upper bounds of 4 to 13 mm/a for the eight best constrained hot spot groups.