The thickness of the asthenosphere deduced from the motion of the Hawaiian Hot Spot

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Abstract
It now appears that hot spots do not provide a fixed reference frame for plate motions. However, if individual hot spots trace the motion of particular zones in the mantle, knowledge of their motions can give insight into the kinematics of the deeper flow. The motion of the Hawaiian hot spot with respect to the plate is calculated from seamount ages, and the absolute northward motion of the plate is given by paleoequator positions. In a fixed reference frame, the southward velocity of the hot spot is comparable to the northward motion of the plate. For a simple two‐layer convention model, the zone of return flow (asthenosphere) must then be about twice as thick as the plate.
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