The diagram below gives the information about the Hawaiian island chain in the centre of the Pacific Ocean.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown.
» Write at least 150 words.
Sample Answer 1:
The given illustration presents information on the Hawaiian Island Chain centre of the Pacific Ocean. As is observed from the diagram, the Hawaiian island chain directly affects the Pacific tectonic plate and because of it, this plate shifts around 7-9 centimetre per year.
As is observed from the graph, below the Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian island chain stands as several volcanos which are almost 80 million years old. These volcanos stand over the Pacific plate and the eruptions of these volcanos’ created a new volcano just over the Magna spume. The Pacific plate is situated on solid dense rock and because of the new volcano development; the hot spot spume remained static. The eruption process of the volcano’s starts from as deep as 2800 km and that has spat the solid rock layer.
Major islands within 100 km of this area are Maui, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai and because of the eruption and sliding of the plates, the centre of the Pacific Ocean is ever changing.
Model Answer 2:
The map portrays the Hawaiian island chain, which is located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean and roughly 2,700 kilometres in length. As is presented, it is formed of volcanoes and the active ones are at the south-east tip of the archipelago, where Hawaii itself is situated. It also shows the how the volcano eruption occurs.
It is pointed out that the chain began to form almost 80 million years ago on solid dense rock bed and each island started to evolve after an eruption on the seafloor. First, a `hot spot’ existed on the ocean bed, which let out a plume of the material called ‘magma’. Further, hot spot remained stable. Hence, magma spume was formed. This magma may originate as deep as 2,883 km below the ocean bed. Next, further eruptions took place, which built up the volcano. Eventually, it emerged above the surface of the ocean.
Afterward, the spume of magma has remained immobile as the Pacific tectonic plate moves in a north-west direction across it at an annual speed of 7-9 centimetre. As it moves, a volcano forms as it passes over the hotspot and then become inactive when it has passed it. The other major islands in the Pacific ocean are Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Lanai and Kahoolawe which are 0-100 kilometres away from each other.