Why are transform faults perpendicular to sea ridges?
Transform faults are subparallel to the direction of plate motion away from the spreading centre. They are perpendicular to the mid ocean ridge because they have formed in response to different rates of movement away from the ridge, which results in vertical fracturing in the crust subparalle to the direction of motion. The available literature suggests that earthquakes related to these transform faults are developed along the fault, are shallow, running as deep as 25 km, and are smaller than magnitude 8.5. I am not aware that thy are concentrated at the centre of the fault.
