Re: Iceland Origin

[stssram@st.unocal.com (Bob Myers)]

On May 4, 12:22, Ralph Lindberg wrote:
} Subject: Iceland Origin
>       Many thanks to ??(sorry lost the name) who posted the new (to me)
> theory on Iceland, i.e. that Iceland is a bit of continent.  I have always
> had trouble believing that Iceland was the only hot spot that didnUt move.
> While I have trouble with this theory also, I can believe it easier then I
> can the hot spot theory.

The only hotspot that didn't move?  

Last time I looked into this, all hotspots were thought to be mostly fixed
in the mantle;  they don't move very much relative to each other.

The plates do move over them, which creates hotspot tracks as the *plate*
(not the hotspot) moves.

Spreading ridges (like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge) tend not to move much either
(at least compared to plate motion).  The Galapagoes hotspot is also on a
spreading ridge; its track is on both the Cocos and Nazca plates.  In this
regard it differs little from Iceland.





-- 
Bob Myers                               Unocal Energy Resources Division
Internet: Bob.Myers@st.unocal.com       P. O. Box 68076
Phone: [714] 693-6951                   Anaheim, California  92817-8076