1. Determine Pacific Plate Velocity
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Determine Pacific Plate Velocity
Distance is measured from where we think the hotspot (most active volcano) is right now.
Age is how old the island is in millions of years (Ma).
Use a data set of ages and distances from the active hotspot from the Hawaii-Emperor seamount chain.
Determine the velocity of the Pacific Plate.

2. AVAILABLE DATA
Note that the green and blue columns contain the data you will be plotting.
Start plotting from Volcano #91.

3. 70 Million Years of Hawaiian Volcanism
AGE VERSUS DISTANCE
70 Million Years of Hawaiian Volcanism

4. Find the Slope of the Line, Not the Points
AGE VERSUS DISTANCE
Find the Slope of the Line, Not the Points
(x2, y2)
(x1, y1)

5. Important Conversions
AGE VERSUS DISTANCE
Important Conversions
Slope is the plate velocity:
Take the reciprocal:

6. Hawaiian Islands, Ridges and Seamounts
HAWAII-EMPEROR CHAIN
Hawaiian Islands, Ridges and Seamounts