EarthRef.org Digital Archive (ERDA) -- Hotspot Lesson: Samoa

Description
This activity allows the students to calculate age estimates for the islands and seamounts of Samoa, assuming they were formed by the Pacific Plate traveling over a stationary hotspot.

Instructions
The students can either use the velocity they calculated for the Pacific Plate using the Hawaii data or a class average can be taken and then used so that the ages will all be the same. Divide the students into groups and assign them two seamounts or islands to calculate the age of. Then have the students write their results on a data table in the front of the class. This data set can later be compared to actual age information calculated from Samoan samples and the students can come to conclusions about the origin of the Samoan chain. It is important to note that this is not entirely correct to use the velocity calculated using Hawaii data for Samoa because Hawaii is located far to the north of Hawaii. Since the earth is spherical, latitude needs to be taken into account in determine angular rotations but for the scope of the class it was necessary to assume that the same velocity could be use.

Keywords
Volcano, Seamount, Samoa, Linear age progression, age

Copyright Owner
Enduring Resources for Earth Science Education (ERESE)

Copyright Description
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