The vertical extent of the flow in the upper mantle may be governed by the layering of the Earth, with the lower mantle rigid enough to act as a frame of reference. A theorem deduced from basic mechanics gives the movement of the plates relative to this frame. The fit with velocities deduced from the migration of deep volcanism is excellent. Absolute velocities of trenches may be related to the slope of the sinking slabs of lithosphere.
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Lliboutry, L. Plate movement relative to rigid lower mantle. Nature 250, 298–300 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/250298a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/250298a0
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