![](c12_fig28.jpg)
Figure 12.28A speculative model for the formation of flood basalts and other large igneous provinces. A new mantle plume rises from the core-mantle boundary, led by a hot, turbulent plume head. When the plume head reaches the top of the mantle, it flattens, generating a huge volume of basaltic magma, which erupts as flood basalts.