火山穹丘不断扩大，裂缝也开始产生。至少在一些例子中，整个大洲的分离都是从这些裂缝开始的，这样热点就导致了新大洋的形成。
As the dome grows , it develops seed fissures ( cracks ); in at least a few cases the continent may break entirely along some of these fissures , so that the hot spot initiates the formation of a new ocean .
火山穹丘