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The Hawaiian Emperor Seamount Chain is a series of volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean that stretches for about 5,600 kilometers. It is an example of a hotspot track, where a volcanic hotspot remains stationary while the Pacific Plate moves over it, creating a chain of islands and seamounts that are progressively older toward the northwest. The Hawaiian Islands, which are the youngest and most volcanically active part of the chain, are located at the southeastern end.

The chain is named after the Hawaiian Islands, which are the most well-known and populated part of the seamount chain. Emperor Seamounts are the older, submerged portion of the chain that extends northwest from the Hawaiian Islands. The transition from the Hawaiian Islands to the Emperor Seamounts is marked by a bend in the chain, known as the "Great Pacific bend." This bend is thought to represent a change in the direction of the Pacific Plate's movement.

The volcanoes in the chain vary in age from a few hundred thousand years at the southeastern end to about 70 million years at the northwestern end. The formation of the Hawaiian Emperor Seamount Chain is a continuous process, with new volcanoes forming at the southeastern end and older ones becoming eroded and submerged as they move northwestward with the Pacific Plate. Geologists study this chain to understand plate tectonics, mantle plume dynamics, and volcanic processes.