Hotspot Volcanism and the Plate Conveyor Belt. This series of plate tectonic "snapshots" from 30 million years ago, 7 million years ago, and today, shows how volcanic activity at a stationary hotspot can create a trail of volcanic seamounts as a tectonic plate passes over the hotspot. Murray seamount formed 27-30 million years ago, whereas Warwick seamount formed about 7 million years ago. Image courtesy of Exploring Alaska's Seamounts 2002, NOAA/OER.
