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MapMaster 3

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MapMaster 3

Tectonic Hotspots

WorldPhysical Environment

Locations of tectonic hotspots—areas in the mantle where heat rises as a thermal plume from deep in the Earth.

Smithsonian Institution

A world map shows tectonic hotspots around the globe, marked with red dots. High concentrations of hotspots are found along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the Pacific Ring of Fire. Areas with fewer hotspots include Europe, Asia, and Australia.

In North America, prominent hotspots are concentrated along the western United States, including the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, extending into Alaska. Additional hotspots are found in the Gulf of California, and in Central America, especially in Mexico and Guatemala. The Atlantic Ocean features multiple hotspots, notably near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Africa's hotspots are primarily situated along the East African Rift, particularly in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, with others scattered across the continent, including Nigeria and Algeria. The Indian Ocean hosts several hotspots, especially near Madagascar and the Seychelles. In Europe, hotspots are visible in Iceland, France, and Spain. Asia's tectonic activity is concentrated in Vietnam and Cambodia. The western part of the Arabian Peninsula, particularly Saudi Arabia, also shows considerable tectonic activity. The regions of Mongolia and Japan show numerous tectonic hotspots. The map also shows hotspots in the South Pacific Ocean, near New Zealand and various island nations.

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Tectonic Hotspots

Acid Rain

Tectonic Hotspots

4.50–4.59 pH

4.60–4.69 pH

4.70–4.79 pH

4.80–4.89 pH

4.90–4.99 pH

5.00–5.09 pH

5.10–5.19 pH

5.20–5.29 pH

≥5.30 pH

Alaska
1
Yukon
1
Hawaii
1
British Columbia
1
Arizona
11.23%98.8%
Utah
11.69%98.3%
District of Columbia
100%
Florida
1.32%13.8%25.9%
Idaho
14.63%95.4%
New Hampshire
72.0%27.9%
Rhode Island
2.00%3.88%
Vermont
95.7%4.07%
Washington
23.4%70.9%
Wyoming
1100%
Montana
9.26%90.7%
Maine
17.3%69.8%10.8%
North Dakota
100%
Kentucky
1.72%54.3%1.61%9.53%
Virginia
3.50%1.66%15.4%
Delaware
17.4%81.8%
Mississippi
14.3%79.0%5.27%
West Virginia
7.63%45.0%12.8%8.92%
Nebraska
100%
Texas
8.53%1.49%4.74%5.19%56.4%
Missouri
26.1%26.9%12.0%34.2%
Louisiana
41.6%42.5%8.80%4.48%2.23%
North Carolina
1.35%37.2%1.72%9.88%
Oregon
12.68%97.3%
Alabama
84.6%13.4%
New Mexico
14.15%91.3%
Kansas
100%
Wisconsin
4.01%46.8%27.3%21.3%
New Jersey
5.98%36.6%32.6%23.7%
South Carolina
33.6%64.2%2.08%
Michigan
24.0%10.0%4.73%13.3%
Connecticut
49.9%50.0%
Pennsylvania
3.58%34.8%29.1%10.8%
Colorado
11.85%3.55%88.3%
Nevada
100%
Massachusetts
98.2%
Georgia
7.01%3.21%2.51%3.47%
New York
4.25%52.6%35.3%
Maryland
12.5%29.8%10.3%
Oklahoma
2.73%5.70%91.6%
Tennessee
5.63%19.5%14.5%3.55%
California
99.7%
Arkansas
17.5%40.8%7.44%10.2%
South Dakota
100%
Ohio
5.07%9.56%59.7%23.0%
Indiana
12.8%4.37%8.75%5.18%
Minnesota
2.86%4.42%92.3%
Iowa
1.50%98.5%
Illinois
39.9%27.0%15.0%3.08%9.73%
0.19.0