The "big bend" in the Hawaii- Emperor seamount chain occurred at about 45 m.y. ago. What is the most likely explanation for this change in the orientation of the hot spot track across the Pacific plate?
A) The hot spot abruptly changed its direction. It used to move straight south, and since 45 m.y. ago it has been moving SE through the upper mantle.
B) The Devil put this line of volcanoes here to confuse us and subvert us from the true path. Everyone knows Earth isn't really that old.
C) From Cretaceous through 45 my. (Eocene), the Pacific seafloor used to move northwards as it subducted down a trench near the present Aleutians. Since then the Kurile- Kamchatka trench began subducting and the Pacific plate began moving NW instead.
D) They are two unrelated hot spot tracks that intersect. Originally there was an Emperor hot spot, then it died while the Hawaiian hot spot started up and moved in a new direction.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The change in the orientation of the Hawaii-Emperor seamount chain is best explained by a shift in the direction of the Pacific plate's movement rather than a change in the movement of the hot spot itself. Plate tectonics theory suggests that the plates move over relatively stationary hot spots, and changes in the direction of volcanic chains are due to changes in plate motion.

The "Big Bend" in the Hawaii- Emperor Seamount Chain Occurred