A mantle plume is a proposed mechanism of convection within the Earth's mantle, hypothesized to explain anomalous volcanism.[2] Because the plume head partially melts on reaching shallow depths, a plume is often invoked as the cause of volcanic hotspots, such as Hawaii or Iceland, and large igneous provinces such as the Deccan and Siberian Traps. Some such volcanic regions lie far from tectonic plate boundaries, while others represent unusually large-volume volcanism near plate boundaries.
- ^ Based upon Figure 17 in Matyska, Ctirad; Yuen, David A. (2007). "Lower-mantle material properties and convection models of multiscale plumes". In Foulger, G. R.; Jurdy, D. M. (eds.). Plates, plumes, and planetary processes. Geological Society of America. p. 159. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.487.8049. doi:10.1130/2007.2430(08). ISBN 978-0-8137-2430-0.
- ^ "The question of mantle plumes". www.earthmagazine.org. Retrieved 2022-08-05.