Migration of mid-ocean-ridge volcanic segments

The propagation of small-offset volcanic spreading-center segments along mid-ocean ridge crests may reflect absolute motion of the plate boundary relative to the underlying mesospheric frame. Such a relationship could be caused by a purely vertical flow of the mantle under spreading centers and would have value in constraining past plate motions from nontransform trends generated during along-ridge propagation and in linking the major-element variability of oceanic crust and upper mantle to the bulk composition and temperatures of mantle ascending under mid-ocean ridges.