The Hawaiian–Emperor Bend (HEB) has long been a geological Rosetta Stone for probing the link between plate tectonics and mantle dynamics. In a compelling new study in PNAS, Zhang and Hu (2025) revisit this classic problem with global mantle convection models constrained by plate reconstructions. They reveal that in addition to the widely accepted southward drift, the Hawaiian hotspot also underwent a significant westward excursion before 47 Ma, subsequently reversing its course to move eastwards. This longitudinal drift—contributing as much as 20° to the bend angle—may have played an even greater role than latitudinal motion. Their results reshape how geoscientists interpret the HEB and provide fresh evidence of the coupling between subduction-driven mantle flow and plume conduits.
R.D. Müller, The moving mantle beneath Hawaii: A new look at an old bend, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 122 (43) e2524801122, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2524801122 (2025).
Read the paper by Zhang and Hu (2025) that this comment is about here
