Moving Hotspot Forms World's Longest Underwater Mountain Chain
Originally Published 1 year ago — by ScienceAlert
A new study reveals that the Ninetyeast Ridge, a massive underwater mountain range in the Indian Ocean, was formed by a moving hotspot, challenging previous beliefs that hotspots remain stationary. Researchers found that the Kerguelen hotspot moved several hundred kilometers within the mantle, creating the ridge as the Indian Plate drifted northward. This discovery, supported by basalt sample analysis, provides new insights into the dynamics of mantle plumes and tectonic plate movements, refining models of Earth's geological history.