The Canary Islands

Question 1

What is the Canary Islands?

Answer 1

Spanish Archipelago consisting of seven larger and a few smaller islands made up of largely dormant volcanoes

Question 2

Location

Answer 2

600km long, Atlantic Ocean, 100km off the coast of south Morocco in NA.

Question 3

The hot spot

Answer 3

Result of intra-plate vulcanism
Oceanic, north-western part of the African plate
Created by mantle plumes that break through weak areas in the crust
Plates move slowly, so usually manifests as a series of islands.

Question 4

Lack of subsidence over time

Answer 4

Typical islands chains on hotspots subside as they move away from hotspot

African plate lithosphere is very thick so strong enough to support massive volcanoes.

Question 5

Stratovolcanoes

Answer 5

Two at the centre of tenerife

typically form at convergent margins where subduction occurs

Gran canaria volcanic summit collapsed to create a caldera.

Question 6

Why did Gran Canaria Volcanic summit collapse?

Answer 6

• Large lava flows, emptied magma chamber, subsidence caldera formed.
• Kilauea is constantly active due to nature of magma from fractional crystallisation.

Question 7

What is fractional crystallisation?

Answer 7

is when the mafic magma minerals (higher melting points), that create runny basaltic lavas typical of effusive eruptions crystallize out of the melt before the elements which create more viscous felsic minerals.

CAUSING LOW VISCOSITY LAVA

Question 8

Threat of Mega-Tsunamis

Answer 8

most threatening tectonic hazard in canaries

can be created by volcanic collapse

one could in La Palma could potentially caused one 600m high that would settle to 50m.

Question 9

Conclusion

Answer 9

Formed due to hotspot under African plate
Series of shield volcanoes
Seismicity present but of little significance
Volcanic activity most for time being largely dormant
Biggest worry is potential mega-tsunami