What geological phenomenon involves doming and results in a new continental margin and ocean?

The geological phenomenon that involves doming and results in the formation of a new continental margin and ocean is related to hot spot evolution. Hot spots are locations where magma from deep within the Earth’s mantle rises to the surface, creating volcanic islands or seamounts. Over time, this process can create a significant doming effect on the lithosphere, which can lead to the initiation of rifting. As the lithosphere stretches and weakens, tectonic plates can diverge, leading to the formation of a new ocean basin and a continental margin.

In relation to the other options, while plate subduction involves one tectonic plate being forced beneath another, it typically leads to the formation of trenches and volcanic arcs rather than creating new margins and oceans. Continental drift describes the gradual movement of continents over geological time but doesn’t specifically account for the active creation of new oceanic crust. Seafloor spreading occurs at mid-ocean ridges where tectonic plates move apart, leading to the continuous formation of new oceanic crust, but it does not specifically relate to the doming phenomenon that is characteristic of hot spots. Thus, the correct answer relates to how hot spots can lead to both volcanic activity and the development of new continental and ocean features.