The South Arch volcanic field is not the only volcanic system on the Arch, there is also the much larger North Arch volcanic field north of Oahu and small lava flows at the foot of Pensacola Seamount southwest from Hawaiʻi Island. Together these volcanic fields have a larger surface than the islands of Hawaii and expand the area affected by Hawaiian volcanism to over width; they have been called peripheral lavas of the Hawaii hotspot. The South Arch volcanic field is located upstream of the Hawaiian hotspot and has been described as precursory although it does not appear to be an early stage of a typical Hawaiian shield volcano.