The hypothesis that plumes of hot magma are responsible for the formation of island chains is supported by new studies.
Experiments carried out on rock samples from three island “hotspots” in the Southeast Atlantic Ocean show that plumes are responsible for the island formation only when the thickness of the crust is taken into account.
Taking into account the crust’s thickness also explains the disruptions and oddities in island tracks, which were previously raised as objections to the plumes hypothesis.
Read more at Australian National University