Figure 6-16 Hot-Spot Volcanoes on Earth A hot spot under the Pacific plate has remained essentially stationary for 70 million years while the plate has moved almost 4000 mi (6000 km) to the northwest. The upwelling magma has thus produced a long chain of volcanoes. The Hawaiian Islands are the newest of these; the oldest, the Emperor Seamount Chain, has eroded so much that it no longer protrudes above the ocean surface.